The Sweet Sound of Strings Guide
The Sweet Sound of Strings Quest Summary
Period: Bakumatsu - 1864 CE
I never expected to find a pleasure district in this version of Kyoto, yet that is where I find myself. However, I am alone here—the streets filled with naught but a misplaced stench and the shadows of lurking Yokai. Perhaps the district's denizens have already been engulfed by the Crucible... Whatever the case, I must press on and discover what happened.
The Sweet Sound of Strings Walkthrough
[1] Continue through the Pleasure District.
Once you reach the Shimabara Pleasure District during "A New Era", this Quest will begin.
[2] Search for Collectibles.
AREA 1 - Shimabara Pleasure District: South Gate
After unlocking the South Gate Shrine, head left along the path. Break the incense burner with purple smoke to draw out the enemies and clear the area.
Continue down the street and look for an area with a purple lamppost. Turn left and you can enter a hidden alleyway blocked by boxes.
There are a few notable items worth checking out in this alley:
| Point of Interest | Image | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Well |  | Try hitting the Well on your left. It will either bring an item or surprise you with an enemy ambush. |
| Crucible Wraith |  | A Karakasa Umbrella can be battled here! Defeat it to get its Soul Core. |
| Ninja's Locks |  | Looted from a Corpse. |
| Kodama |  | Near the corpse where you found the Ninja's Locks, use the haystacks to climb onto the roof. You can find this friendly Yokai hiding there. |
You’ll find another incense burner to the right of the bridge. Use it to defeat the enemies, then proceed through the door of the nearby house.
Before climbing the stairs, turn left for a Chest!
| Point of Interest | Image | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Skills Text: Tempestuous Deflect |  | Just a reminder that there's a Mujina inside the Chest. Play along by using the correct Gesture or defeat it to get the Collectible. |
AREA 2 - Shimabara Pleasure District: Geisha House
Make your way to the upper floor, where you'll find the next Shrine.
Go through the room on the right toward the exit.
Loot the corpses on the right side and across the walkway, then cross the bridge and head down the ladder.
| Point of Interest | Image | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Kodama |  | Follow the street to the right until you reach the end. There's a hidden Kodama inside the house. |
| Kappa |  | Found next to a lantern by the building's entrance. |
| Crucible Wraith |  | Next, head inside the building to find a Flying Bolt enemy. |
| Tripwire |  | As you progress, be careful for any hidden threads across the path. Jump over them so you don't set off any traps. |
| Handbook: Poison Mist |  | Circle back to the first area to find a hidden room behind the panels. Open the Chest to get a Handbook. |
| Ninja's Text |  | Exit back through the connecting room. Avoid the trap and loot the nearby Chest. |
| Hot Spring |  | Located down the path next to a broken staircase. |
| Kodama |  | Turn right into the main corridor. On the left, you can open a shortcut door leading back to the Geisha House. There is also another room nearby with a Kodama inside. |
| Nurikabe |  | On the second floor, there will be a room blocked by a Nurikabe. Use the correct Gesture or defeat it to unlock the path. |
| Secret Skills Text: Long Stride |  | After clearing it, go through a small gap in the wall to find a Chest. |
Turn left outside and pass through the furniture until you reach a junction in the hall.
Both paths are trapped, so be careful! Clear the enemies and grab the loot on the right path first. Then, take the left path to find the stairs leading up to the boss arena.
[3] Defeat Takasugi Shinsaku.
After opening the door, you’ll witness an intense battle between Takasugi Shinsaku and Okita Soji.
As Okita Soji exits, you'll step into the room and the battle against Takasugi Shinsaku will start.
・Takasugi Shinsaku is equipped with both sword and pistol. Expect this boss to alternate between several melee and ranged attacks.
・Shami-choro, his Guardian Spirit, supports Shinsaku during the fight. Prepare for the Wind attacks it sends your way.
・At half health, he becomes more aggressive and mobile. Stay alert and dodge or use Burst Breaks to counter him whenever possible.
| Move | Details |
|---|---|
| Jump and Strike | The boss will leap into the air for a bit and then aiming his sword at you to deliver a fatal blow. |
| Grab Attack | When you see Shinsaku's sword glowing Yellow/Gray, back away immediately to avoid being impaled! |
| Charge Attack | One of his Burst Attacks happens when he holds his sword to his side before dashing toward you. Look for the Red glow to time your parry perfectly. |
| Gun and Blade Combo | Shinsaku can switch weapons throughout the fight. Watch out for his rapid slashes and multiple gunshots! Learning how to dodge his attack patterns will give you a major advantage. |
When the battle is over, a cutscene will play where you break the Crucible and get to know more about Shinsaku and his backstory.
Continue the second part of "A New Era", where you'll speak with Shinsaku and join forces to unlock "Those Left Behind".
Quest Rewards:
・Fujiwara Sadayasu
・Shock Troop Greaves
・Shami-choro
・Samurai's Locks
・Volitional Summoning Skill
