What to know

  • Drinking a sake jar restores Spirit, the resource used for healing and special moves.
  • You activate it by holding the Down button on the D-pad.
  • There is a penalty for overdoing it — visual blur increases and after the third drink you vomit and become vulnerable.
  • You can find sake jars in enemy camps or buy them from merchants (especially in inns).

In Ghost of Yōtei, sake is more than just a decorative touch — it’s a tactical resource. You’ll often juggle between drinking sake and building Spirit through combat, while managing the drawbacks. Below is everything you should know to use sake effectively.

How to drink sake in Ghost of Yotei

Step 1

During or after a fight, check Spirit levels and consider topping up between enemy waves.

Step 2

Hold down on the D-Pad when you have at least one sake jar in your inventory to drink it and restore Spirit.

Step 3

Avoid drinking more than twice in a row, as a third consecutive drink causes a screen blur and an incapacitating vomit animation.

Step 4

Use skillful combat (parries, standoffs) to generate Spirit instead if the screen is already blurry or if you’re out of jars.

Step 5

Throw empty jars at enemies to break their guard or disrupt an attack when needed.

When to drink vs when to rely on combat

  • In long fights or when you’re low on Spirit, use sake to keep going.
  • If you already have decent Spirit from parries and kills, it’s better to conserve sake.
  • Avoid using a third drink unless you have a moment to recover or a guaranteed safe opening.

How to restock sake

You can easily restock Sake by:

  • Exploring enemy camps — you’ll often find jars lying around.
  • After clearing occupied locations, loot reward caches for resources including sake.
  • Visiting merchants, especially in inns and sake houses, to buy more when you’re low.

Alternative Spirit sources

You don’t always need to rely on sake. You regain Spirit by:

  • Parrying enemy attacks
  • Defeating enemies (kills)
  • Using advanced combat techniques or stealth kills, when executed properly.

Also, setting up camp fully restores Spirit, and cooking meals at camp can give bonus Spirit or temporary buffs.

Example scenario: smart sake use in a fight

You engage a group of enemies. You begin with a full Spirit bar, so you fight aggressively, parry and kill to build more. Midway, your Spirit drops. Instead of immediately drinking, you wait for a safe moment (after a stagger).

  • You drink once, restore Spirit.
  • Continue fighting using your built-up Spirit for special moves.
  • If enemies wave again and your Spirit is low, you drink a second jar.
  • Avoid taking a third in the same encounter unless you’re in a safe spot — the risk is too high.

Sake boon or bane in Ghost of Yotei

Sake is both your ally and your weakness. Use it wisely, in the right place and at the right time, and it will keep you fighting longer. Abuse it, and it can blur your vision, drain your momentum, and leave you wide open.

Over time, you’ll learn when to strike, when to parry, and when to sip.