Discover Every Twisted Tree Site and Their Rewards in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

“The Twisted Tree” is a quest in Assassin’s Creed Shadows that you’ll pick up in Yamashiro. It’s technically part of the lead-up to The Fool on the Shinbakufu Objectives board, but it gets its own assassination tracker once you start it.

You’ll meet a man named Ujimasa who can help you infiltrate Yamazaki Castle. First, though, you’ll have to deal with the Takahashi clan, a family of ronin causing problems around Kyoto.

Our Assassin’s Creed Shadows guide will tell you how to find all members of The Twisted Tree for “The Twisted Tree” and tell you the rewards you get for each.

How to start ‘The Twisted Tree’ in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

To start “The Twisted Tree,” you actually have to start a different quest first. Under The Fool on the Shinbakufu Objectives board, one of the quests is called, “Inside Help.” That’s your starting point.

“Inside Help” will send you to Kiyomizudera Temple to the southwest of the Hills of Meeting (and southeast of Kyoto) in central Yamashiro to find a man named Ujimasa.

You’ll find him at the southern entrance to the temple, pretending to be a tour guide. Choose whichever of the waters you would like to drink (the choice isn’t important) and he’ll tell you about the Takahashi clan, a family of rogue samurai harassing people in and around Kyoto. He’ll also tell you where to start hunting them.

Each member of The Twisted Tree has their own quest find them and another to assassinate them. Two of the Takahashi clan can be spared. We’ll walk you through all the quests and point out who you can spare below.

How to find Takahashi clan’s locations

There’s a bit of work (and five side quests) to do so you can find the exact locations of the seven Takahashi members. We’ll get into more detail about each quest below, but at a glance, the quests are listed below, with corresponding locations on the map above:

You’ll start with “Help Needed,” a quest under Takahashi Taro. You’ll find the merchant you need to talk to in central Kyoto, west of Nijo Palace and near an umbrella cart.

He’s about a block west of the Nijo Palace viewpoint and is standing, as promised, next to some colorful umbrellas. Speak to Yamana Kihei and he’ll tell you about the Takahashi clan and its twisted (family) tree. This will also fill out your Objectives board, but the locations of each target will still be vague. He’ll point you to the Takahashi family guard.

Your next stop is part of “Guard Assignments” under Takahashi Jiro. You’re heading to eastern Kyoto, east of Honnoji Temple (and west of Honpoji Temple), and looking for someone near a sake crate cart.

You’ll find the guard along the main road just a little southeast of the Jesuit Residences. He doesn’t talk much, but you’ll pick up the Family Guard Note from his corpse. The note mentions that the two youngest won’t be interested in avenging their father’s death. That’ll come in handy later.

Before we get to the stabbing, there’s one more side quest to take on. This one is under Takahashi “The Oni” Shiro and is named “Family Drama.” You’re heading to north(east)ern Kyoto, at the north entrance to the Imperial Palace.

You’ll spot the guards just outside the gate. One will mention an incident near Nijo Palace and that he dropped a note containing a new patrol path (Takahanshi Jiro’s location) near the baths on the west side of town. Another side quest!

The next side quest we need for preparations is also under Takahashi Shiro, this one aptly named, “Dropped Intel.” You’re heading to cental Kyoto, along the southwest corner of Nijo Palace’s moat, and you’re looking for a broken fan cart.

As you ride along the moat, you’ll spot the smashed cart, a merchant crying nearby, and a guard standing there not doing anything helpful (quelle surprise!). You can ignore them, though, and just pick up the Outburst Area Note from behind the woman.

The last (we promise) side quest is “Guard Duty” under Takahashi Jiro. This time, you’re heading for the Furo of Kyoto (the bath) north of the Kano Painting School in central Kyoto. It’s about two blocks to the northwest of where you are now.

You’ll find the New Patrol Route Note in the back room. Now, on to the stabbing part!

Who should you spare in The Twisted Tree?

If you check the Objectives board now that it’s completely filled in, you’ll find notes that Goro and Ichi-Hime will be free if their father dies, while the others will all avenge their father’s death. That’s your answer for who to spare — don’t kill the ones who won’t want to kill you. Spare Goro and Ichi-Hime.

Sparing them is as simple as just talking to them instead of stabbing them. If you do happen to kill them (you can just bump into some of them on the street before you pick up the quest), that’s fine. The rewards are the same and it doesn’t change the outcome of the quest.

All Twisted Tree locations and rewards

Once you complete all of the various side quests and information gathering, you’ll have the locations of all seven members of The Twisted Tree on your map. The locations won’t be exact, so you’ll still have to look with the left trigger and watch for the blue dots.

Takahashi Saburo and Taro location and reward

You’ll find Taro and Saburo just a couple blocks to the north of the Furo of Kyoto where you found the last note. It’s pretty hard to take them out stealthily, so it could be a good time to play as Yasuke. Just try to get Taro first since he can call in reinforcements.

Takahashi Ichi-Hime location and reward

You’ll find Ichi-Hime a bit to the south. She’s in the Umenomiya Taisha Shrine on (just outside of) the west side of town. (There are also a lot of cats there if you’re looking to liven up your Hideout.) If you want to keep her alive, approach her and then hold the left trigger to look at her. You’ll get a prompt to spare or kill her. You’ll get the same rewards either way.

Inoshichi is the next to the south, but he’s the clan patriarch. Since there are still two Takahashi out there who will swear vengence, it’s better to skip him for now.

Takahashi Jiro location and reward

Instead, head to the Southern Kyoto Kakurega, and you’ll find Jiro just to the northeast, basically right outside the door.

Takahashi Shiro location and reward

Up in the north half of Kyoto, you’ll find Shiro in Nijo Palace. He’ll be right in front of the tall building with the viewpoint on top. If you come in from the sides, there’s a pole where you can get (the start of) an air assassination.

Takahashi Goro location and reward

While you’re in the north of Kyoto, head up to the Shokokuji Temple just a couple blocks northeast of the Northern Kyoto Kakurega. You’re looking for another of the Takahashi clan that you can save, Goro, there. You’ll find him in the northwest corner of the ruins. When you spot him, hold the look trigger again to spare him (or kill him if that’s more your speed).

Takahashi Inoshichi location and reward

With the rest of the family handled, you can go take out Takahashi Inoshichi on the west side of town. He’s inside of an unnamed guarded area. Goro’s note (if you find it) mentions that there’s a secret entrance to his father’s house — a trapdoor accessible from the garden. Inoshici is pretty hearty, so a single assassination stab probably won’t kill him. Try to take out all of his guards before you take him on so he doesn’t get any backup.

How to finish the ‘Inside Help’ quest

With all of that finally done, you can return to Ujimasa in Kiyomizudera Temple (to the east) to complete the quest you started way back at the beginning of all of this. He’ll agree to help you take out The Fool and give you Yamazaki Castle Gate Key.

For more Assassin’s Creed Shadows guides, see our running lists of Lost Pages, Kuji-kiri, and armor locations. Or see our full Assassin’s Creed Shadows walkthrough, and our guides on how to get all companions and romance options.