Honestly, walking into a 1,300-year-old burial mound in the middle of a civil war is exactly the kind of vibe Assassin's Creed Shadows excels at. You're playing as Yasuke, stomping through the mud of Harima, and suddenly you stumble upon this massive, overgrown hill that shouldn't be there. That's the Takagi Kofun. It’s not just a random hole in the ground; it’s a specific, historically-flavored dungeon that has tripped up more than a few players since the game launched in March 2025.
If you’ve been wandering around the Kanki Burned Fields wondering why the map icon won’t turn gold, you’re in the right place. Most people treat these Kofun tombs like standard loot caves. They aren't. They’re environmental puzzles that require a very specific approach—and in the case of Takagi, a very specific character.
Finding the Entrance in Takagi Otsuka Fort
The first mistake? Trying to find a "secret" back door. The Takagi Kofun is located right in the belly of the beast: Takagi Otsuka Fort. You can’t stealth your way into the tomb itself without dealing with the fort's garrison first. It’s situated northwest of Amagasaki, and if you haven't unlocked the Mount Haba viewpoint, do that first. It makes the run-back much less painful if you mess up.
Once you’re inside the fort, look for the stairs leading down into the earth. You’ll notice the entrance is completely choked with debris. This is where the game tests if you’re paying attention to the mechanics. You can't just swing your katana and hope for the best.
Why you must use Yasuke
Basically, this is a Yasuke-only tomb. While Naoe is great for the Kofuns that require grappling hooks and high-wire acts, Takagi is all about raw strength and explosives. If you’re hovering over the icon on your map and see the samurai helmet icon, that's your cue to swap.
To get inside, you’ve got to grab one of those red explosive jars nearby. Carry it down to the debris, set it down, and take a few steps back. Shoot it. The explosion clears the path, and suddenly you're looking at a long, dark hallway that feels significantly older than the Sengoku-era buildings above it.
Navigating the Tomb Puzzles
The interior of the Takagi Kofun is a maze of tight corridors and sudden ambushes. It’s easy to get turned around. Once you’re past the initial rubble, you’ll hit a room with a few bandits who clearly had the same idea as you: find the legendary loot. Clear them out.
On the western wall, there’s a wooden barrier. Don't overthink it; just smash it. This leads you deeper into the burial chamber area. You’ll eventually hit a T-junction.
- Go Left: You’ll find an optional chest with some decent upgrade materials.
- Go Right: This is the main path.
You’ll have to prone and crawl through a narrow gap. Pro tip: immediately look left after emerging from the crawlspace. There’s a second hidden chest tucked away there. Most players sprint right past it because they’re worried about the enemies in the next room.
The Crate and Barrel Puzzle
This is the part that usually gets people stuck. You'll reach a large chamber with scaffolding and a stone platform. There's a high ledge blocked by more debris, and no clear way to climb up while carrying a heavy explosive jar.
Here is what you actually do:
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- Find the two large wooden crates in the side rooms.
- Drag them into the main chamber.
- Position them to create a "staircase" or a bridge between the stone floor and the scaffolding.
- Grab a red jar, hop across your makeshift bridge, and toss the jar onto the high platform.
- Climb up, detonate it from a distance, and the path to the final chamber opens.
It’s a bit clunky. If the jar rolls off—which happens way too often—just wait a second for it to respawn in its original spot.
What’s the Real Reward?
So, why bother? You're here for the Death’s Bloom Teppo. This is a legendary matchlock rifle that is essentially a game-changer for Yasuke’s ranged build.
In the real history of the 1580s, firearms were transforming Japanese warfare, and the game reflects this by giving the Death’s Bloom a specific engraving: it drastically reduces reload time. If you’ve used the standard Teppo, you know how painfully slow they are. With this version, Yasuke becomes a one-man firing squad.
Besides the gun, you’ll walk away with:
- A Knowledge Point (crucial for the mastery skill tree).
- A heap of XP that scales to your current level.
- Random loot from the four optional chests, which usually includes a Naginata or high-tier engravings.
The History Behind the Fiction
Let's get nerdy for a second. Ubisoft didn't just invent the word "Kofun." These are real megalithic tombs from the Kofun Period (roughly 250 to 538 AD). By the time Yasuke and Naoe are running around in 1582, these tombs were already over a thousand years old.
While the Takagi Kofun in the game is a stylized dungeon, it’s based on the real-world burial mounds found in the Hyogo Prefecture (the Harima region). Real Kofun are often keyhole-shaped and surrounded by moats. In the game, you’ll notice the artificial water pools around the entrance of several Kofuns—that's a direct nod to how these sites looked in antiquity to separate the world of the living from the dead.
There’s been some chatter online about the "disrespect" of having Yasuke fight inside these tombs. While it’s true that many of these sites are considered sacred today, by the late 16th century, many were overgrown, forgotten, or even used as foundations for forts (just like the Takagi Otsuka Fort in the game).
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Tips for a Smooth Run
If you’re planning to tackle this tonight, keep these three things in mind:
First, check your level. The Harima region generally expects you to be around Level 23. If you’re lower than that, the bandits inside the tomb will hit like absolute trucks, especially in the cramped corridors where you can't dodge easily.
Second, bring a bow or a Teppo. You need a ranged weapon to detonate the explosive jars. There’s nothing more annoying than dragging a barrel across a room only to realize you’re out of ammo and can’t blow it up.
Third, lighting is your friend. Use your torch or light the candles along the walls. It’s not just for atmosphere; it helps you spot the crawlspaces and "breakable" textures on the walls that hide the bonus chests.
The Takagi Kofun is one of ten such tombs in Assassin's Creed Shadows. Each one offers a different legendary item, but for Yasuke players, this one in Harima should be at the top of your list. The reload speed buff on the Death’s Bloom is simply too good to pass up if you enjoy the heavy combat style.
To make sure you've actually finished the area, check your map. The icon should be grayed out, and you should have the "Death's Bloom" in your inventory under the ranged weapons tab. If you missed a chest, you can always go back in; none of these locations are missable after the story ends. Just remember to bring extra jars and a bit of patience for those wooden crates.