You’re trekking through the misty, rain-slicked paths of the Tamba province, and the vibe is just... off. The locals are whispering. They’re scared of a "monster" roaming the Silver Lands. If you’ve been playing Assassin’s Creed Shadows, you know exactly the moment the game shifts from a political thriller into something that feels like a ghost story. You eventually run into him: Taka Nyudo. He’s massive. He’s terrifying. And honestly, he's one of the most misunderstood parts of the game’s "The Yokai" questline.
Many players see the name and immediately think Ubisoft finally leaned 100% into the supernatural. But that’s not really the case here.
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Who Exactly Is Taka Nyudo in Assassin’s Creed Shadows?
Basically, Taka Nyudo is a target you’re sent to hunt down by a monk-turned-demon-hunter named Mamushi. You’ll find Mamushi at the Nyoiji Daiji Temple in Yamashiro. He’s a bit of a skeptic, which is a fun twist for someone whose literal job is "disproving myths." He sends Naoe and Yasuke out to investigate reports of yokai—the supernatural spirits of Japanese folklore—that are supposedly terrorizing the countryside.
When you get to Kabasaka Village in Tamba, you find the man everyone is calling "Taka Nyudo."
He’s not a demon. Not really.
In the game’s lore, this "Taka Nyudo" is actually a human monk who has leanings toward the brutal. He’s a massive brute of a man, carrying a terrifying spiked club (a kanabo). Because of his height and his predatory behavior, the terrified villagers have projected the myth of the Taka Nyudo—the "tall priest" or "tall novice"—onto him. In Japanese folklore, the real Taka Nyudo is a shape-shifting monk who grows taller the higher you look at him. This guy? He just uses the fear to hold people hostage, including a woman named Chitose.
The Folklore vs. The Reality
The name "Taka Nyudo" (高入道) literally translates to "tall priest." In ancient tales, if you see one, you aren’t supposed to look up. If you do, he gets taller and taller until he crushes you. In Shadows, Ubisoft plays with this psychological terror.
The game presents him as a "boss" in the Silver Lands, but he’s a target. A criminal.
Honestly, the "Yokai" organization in the game is one of the coolest side-narratives because it shows how the chaos of the Sengoku period allowed criminals to mask themselves as monsters. People were so traumatized by the constant warfare of the 1580s that it didn't take much to convince them a tall, angry monk was actually a supernatural entity.
How to Find and Take Down the Beast
If you’re looking to check this one off your list, you need to head to the Silver Lands in Tamba. He’s usually hanging out at a small camp just off the main road, northwest of the "Silver Lands" text on your map.
I’ve found that how you approach him really depends on which character you’re vibing with that day:
- The Naoe Approach: Since he’s basically a high-health heavy enemy, Naoe is your best bet for a quick finish. You can scale the rocks behind his camp and drop down for an air assassination. If you’ve leveled up enough, you can one-shot him. It’s clean. It’s quiet.
- The Yasuke Approach: If you want a "clash of titans" moment, take Yasuke. This turns into a straight-up brawl. Taka Nyudo hits like a freight train, but Yasuke’s parry window and heavy strikes make it a satisfying fight.
Once he’s down, the "myth" dies with him. You’ll loot a weapon called the Tail of the Beast. It’s an Epic Kanabo that Yasuke can use, and it’s honestly one of the better heavy weapons if you like armor-piercing stats.
Why This Questline Matters for E-E-A-T
Historians and fans of Japanese culture have been watching Assassin’s Creed Shadows closely for its accuracy. While the main story deals with giants like Oda Nobunaga, the Taka Nyudo quest shows Ubisoft’s commitment to the folklore of the era. They aren't saying ghosts are real in the AC universe (well, outside of Isu nonsense), but they are showing how real people in 1582 believed in them.
There’s a poet you rescue from him—Chitose. She has these striking blue eyes that look totally out of place, leading to a lot of fan theories about her being a supernatural entity herself (the Ao Andon). It’s that ambiguity that makes this specific target so much more than just a "kill quest."
What to Do After Defeating Taka Nyudo
Don't just walk away once the monk is dead. You need to talk to Chitose to properly progress the quest. She’ll mention heading to see Mamushi.
Completing the Taka Nyudo hunt gets you:
- 2,000 XP.
- 2 Mastery Points.
- The Tail of the Beast (Epic Kanabo).
- A rare engraving for armor piercing.
The "Yokai" questline has six other targets, including the Daitengu and the Yuki Onna. To get the most out of this, you should focus on clearing the Tamba region's side activities first to ensure you're at least Level 26. Trying to take Taka Nyudo on at a lower level makes him a sponge for damage, and his kanabo swings will end your run in about two hits.
Hunt him during the "Any Season" window—unlike the Yuki Onna, he isn't tied to the winter cycle. Just find the village, climb the rocks, and end the legend of the tall priest once and for all.