All Sumi-e Locations in Ghost of Yotei

What to know

• Sumi-e Paintings total 18 across Ezo's regions, with 15 open-world ones needed for the "An Artist's Eye" trophy; the other three tie to specific tales.
• These optional activities let you sit on a straw mat and complete simple touchpad drawing mini-games depicting animals, landscapes, or scenes.
• Rewards are purely cosmetic hats, headbands, or masks to customize Atsu's look, plus they contribute to upgrading Father's Charm for subtle gameplay perks.
• Spots mark on your map when nearby, and nothing's missable—you can hunt them all post-story in free-roam.

As you roam the snow-dusted wilds of Ezo as Atsu, stumbling upon a Sumi-e Painting spot feels like a quiet invitation to pause and reflect. These ink-wash sketches capture the game's poetic essence, blending exploration with a touch of creative calm. Collecting them not only adorns your character but weaves deeper into the narrative through charm upgrades.

Sumi-e painting locations: Quick overview

All Sumi-e paintings locations explained

Following are the locations of the paintings based on the regions. Do check our guide in the next section about to place these paintings on map to solve them if you need help with that.

Region: Yotei Grasslands

#1 - Careful Pincers Sumi-e

• Where: Southern coast of Yotei Grasslands, near the Coastal Dueling Tree / beach cove.
• What to Do: Travel all the way south to the shore; you’ll see a decorated rock and the painting mat. Sit and trace the strokes.
• Reward: Hat of Curiosity

#2 - Plum Crane Sumi-e

• Where: Along the Shikotsu River, west of Atsu’s Home / Lake Shikotsu area.
• What to Do: Follow the river westward; you’ll find a rock with floral decorations. Sit and paint.
• Reward: Headband of Loss

#3 - Chasing Frogs Sumi-e

• Where: Northwestern corner of the region, near Lake Jozan.
• What to Do: Go to the rock overlooking the lake; painting spot is right there.
• Reward: Hat of Youth

#4 - Mount Yotei Sumi-e

• Where: Near Blooming Ridge Shrine, on a rocky hill that has a view toward Mt. Yotei.
• What to Do: From the entrance to Blooming Ridge Shrine, backtrack and climb a rocky hill to the edge vantage point.
• Reward: Headband of Yotei

Region: Ishikari Plain

#5 - Crashing Waves Sumi-e

• Where: Southwestern part of Ishikari Plain, at Otaru Beach. Two large rocks, climbable.
• What to Do: Climb the smaller rock, use rope to cross to the bigger one, then the mat is atop the bigger rock for painting.
• Reward: Headband of Defiance

#6 - Defiant Roots Sumi-e

• Where: Northeast of Stone Jaw Coast, near Rumoi River in a purple-flowered field.
• What to Do: Reach the area by following the river or via paths from higher ground, find the rock in the field, then paint.
• Reward: Headband of Fortitude

#7 - Chatting / Chattering Crows Sumi-e

• Where: East of Ishikari Plain, along Nakagoya Spring. Near a small waterfall and tree overhang.
• What to Do: Follow Nakagoya Spring upstream. Before shrine torii, look for rock under a tree and do the painting there.
• Reward: Hat of Messengers

Region: Tokachi Range

#8 - Free Skies Sumi-e

• Where: In the northern part of Ohara Plains (Tokachi). On raised ground near a solitary tree and rock.
• What to Do: Climb up to vantage ground, find the rock and mat, sit and trace lines.
• Reward: Mask of Freedom

#9 - Season’s Colors Sumi-e

• Where: Tomamu Marshlands (eastern corner of region), near a Dueling Tree and waterfall.
• What to Do: From the Dueling Tree, head north into the marsh; a rock with floral sculptures marks the spot.
• Reward: Headband of the Seasons

Region: Nayoro Wilds

#10 - Peaceful Kotan Sumi-e

• Where: Southern edge of the region, east of Niptay Mountain. On a rock under white-flowered trees.
• What to Do: Climb cliffs, grapple across gaps to reach the ledge overlooking the village; there’s the painting spot.
• Reward: Mask of Community

#11 - Drying Bark Sumi-e

• Where: Southeastern part of Nayoro, in the Iwor Woods area, near waterfall.
• What to Do: Go to the open yard across from a house in Iwor Woods; the rock & mat are right there.
• Reward: Headband of Tranquility

Region: Teshio Ridge

#12 - Frozen Moment Sumi-e

• Where: At the mouth of Teshio River on its western side, just east of the Black Dye House.
• What to Do: Follow the Teshio River, head past the Black Dye House; you’ll see a flower-decorated rock by the frozen river.
• Reward: Mask of Slumber

#13 - Howling Pack Sumi-e

• Where: Southeast of a “Deserted Village” in Teshio, near a ridge. Also near Sentinel Forest area.
• What to Do: Navigate to the ridge, find the adorned rock and mat near the edge, sit and do the painting.
• Reward: Headband of the Wild

Region: Oshima Coast

#14 - Lost Flight Sumi-e

• Where: On Oshima Coast, west along the perimeter among cherry blossom trees / Atago Rice Fields kind of area.
• What to Do: Follow the coastline; you’ll come to a spot with blossom trees and rock where painting is possible.
• Reward: Mask of Remembrance

#15 - Imperial Sakura Sumi-e

• Where: Inside Matsumae Castle grounds, in the southern garden.
• What to Do: Enter Matsumae Castle, go to its southern side garden, find the rock & mat, and paint. Note: map icon may misleadingly place it by coast, but it's within the castle.
• Reward: Hat of Refinement

Quest based (not counted for trophy):

#16 - Sensei Tale: The Way of the Yari

• This Sumi-e is part of a Sensei Tale quest and is completed automatically when you play through that tale. There are no rewards beyond tale progression.

#17 & #18 - Memories of Home (side tale)

• Two Sumi-e are tied to this side tale; again, they are done as part of the narrative and don’t count as open-world ones.

How to complete a Sumi-e Painting

Here is how you solve a Sumi-e painting puzzle.

Step 1

Approach the location until you see a circular mat and painting kit at a scenic spot.

Step 2

Sit down by pressing the prompt to begin the painting activity.

Step 3

Use the controller’s touchpad to trace outlines; follow the on-screen guide for brush strokes.

Step 4

Finish the scene to earn your reward instantly.

Tips for Finding Every Sumi-e Painting in Ghost of Yotei

Fast travel close, then explore on foot

Most Sumi-e spots sit near known shrines or villages. Use fast travel to jump close, then sweep the nearby area on foot — you’ll often spot the mat setup right off a path.

Look for flower-decorated rocks

The most reliable visual cue is a decorated rock surrounded by flowers or a straw mat overlooking a scenic view. If you see that setup, you’ve likely found a painting spot.

Expect climbing and grappling

Some Sumi-e locations require reaching high ridges, crossing ropes, or grappling across gaps. Always keep your traversal gear upgraded before heading into mountain regions.

Don’t worry about missing any

None of these are missable — even if you skip some during story progression, you can revisit every region afterward in free roam to complete your set.

Take your time — rewards are purely cosmetic

Each painting unlocks a hat, headband, or mask, but no stat bonuses. So you can explore at your own pace without worrying about gameplay advantages.

Use a checklist to stay organized

Track which paintings you’ve already completed using this guide or a printed list. It’s easy to lose track across 15 open-world and 3 quest-linked spots.

Approach from different angles when stuck

If a rock or ledge seems unreachable, circle around or find a higher approach point — many painting sites are accessible only via alternate routes.

Trust landmarks more than map icons

Some icons (especially “Imperial Sakura”) appear slightly off on the map. Rely on distinct landmarks — like castle gardens or waterfalls — rather than the marker’s exact spot.

Finishing all fifteen open-world Sumi-e paintings in Ghost of Yotei rewards you with the “An Artist’s Eye” trophy — a bronze achievement that recognizes your effort in discovering every painting site across Yotei’s landscapes.