What to know
- Find and interact with 10 “Special Places” to earn the trophy.
- Special Places are marked only by bow-sign wooden posts, not on your map.
- Bow or play your shamisen at each site—triggering unique environmental effects.
- None are missable; all can be found and honored during or after finishing the main story.
The Speaking with the Land trophy is one of the collectible-style trophies in Ghost of Yōtei. To unlock it, you don’t need to follow a quest or story path; instead, you must find 10 hidden Special Places scattered across the map and interact with them by bowing or using your shamisen.
While many such spots exist, only 10 count toward the trophy. Because none of them are missable, you can hunt them down either during exploration or after finishing the main story.
Speaking with the Land Trophy overview
| Type | Bronze |
| Category | Exploration / Collectible |
| Objective | Interact (bow or play shamisen) at 10 Special Places around Yōtei |
| How to Trigger | Approach wooden bowing signs and use bow gesture or shamisen tune until a world reaction occurs (wind, birds, petals, etc.) |
| Number of Locations Required | 10 Special Places |
| Availability | Any time (story or free roam) |
| Difficulty | Very Easy |
| Estimated Time | 30–45 minutes |
| Best Strategy | Focus on regions near shrines, forests, and hot springs; fast travel between dense clusters |
| Trophy Unlock Condition | Successfully interact with the 10th unique Special Place |
| Reward | Bronze Trophy + minor world interaction acknowledgment |
Special Places locations in Ghost of Yotei
Special Places can appear almost anywhere: on cliffs, riversides, coasts, or near iconic trees and landscape features. Here are some of the easiest locations, all featuring a wooden signpost with a bowing samurai icon:
| Region | Location Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Yotei Grasslands | Southern Coast | At the coastline near the sea |
| Yotei Grasslands | Sarubetsu River | Below the yellow tree at the Altar of Reflection |
| Yotei Grasslands | Lake Shikotsu | On the eastern shore, at the edge of the lake |
| Ishikari Plain | Hikari River | Where the river splits between Otaru Beach and Otaru Hills |
| Ishikari Plain | Rumoi River | South side of the river, cliff in a purple flower field |
| Tokachi Range | Amber Respite Shrine | At the pond below the waterfall near the shrine entrance |
| Tokachi Range | Huranui’s Rest Inn | Northeast of the inn, across the river shore |
| Nayoro Wilds | Cukpet Hills | Campsite near the river’s southern end |
| Teshio Ridge | Sakuru Woods | Middle of a lake, rocks northeast of the woods |
| Oshima Coast | Seianji Temple | Below the waterfall near the temple, with a bonus spot past the bridge |
There are more than enough to choose from, but these listed locations are commonly agreed upon as the quickest to complete.
How to Get the Speaking with the Land Trophy step by step
Step 1: Understand what to look for
Special Places are NOT marked on your map and do not show up as icons. They are identified by a small wooden sign with a bowing samurai image. Some rare sites don't have signs but will still trigger an effect when you bow, for example the Wild Clearing Hotspring Cliff.
Step 2: Explore the regions
Head to regions like Yotei Grasslands, Ishikari Plain, Tokachi Range, Nayoro Wilds, and Oshima Coast. Use the table above to focus on known, easy-to-find Special Places.
Step 3: Find a Special Place
Look for the wooden sign or stonehedge, described earlier. Walk up so you are facing the sign.
Step 4: Bow or play the shamisen
Swipe down on the controller's touchpad to bow, or play your shamisen if you prefer. If you did it right, the environment will visibly react: leaves swirl, wind sounds, or animals might appear. This confirms you've honored the site.
Step 5: Repeat for 10 different places
You need to do this at 10 unique Special Places. After each successful bow, your trophy progress ticks up by 1. There’s no in-game tracker besides the trophy itself, but nothing is missable. You can do this before or after the main story.
Step 6: Claim the trophy!
Once you have honored 10, the "Speaking with the Land" trophy will unlock instantly.
Speaking with the Land tips
To efficiently complete all 10 bows and get the Speaking with Land trophy, follow these tips:
- None of the Special Places are tied to specific story points, so honor them at your own pace.
- Missed a place? Return anytime: the game’s free roam makes this trophy impossible to permanently miss.
- Don’t worry if you discover more than 10—only the first 10 count for the trophy’s progress bar.
- Tracking is only via the trophy menu, as the game offers no map markers or counter for these locations.
Why Speaking with the Land trophy matters
Unlocking “Speaking with the Land” is part of Ghost of Yotei’s celebration of its world’s spiritual side, similar to hidden altars in Ghost of Tsushima.
At each Special Place, a unique environmental effect confirms completion—think leaves swirling, rare animals appearing, or tranquil wind sounds. While there are more than 10 Special Places, only 10 need to be honored to unlock the trophy.
Completing the “Speaking with the Land” trophy is one of Ghost of Yotei’s signature collectible challenges. Since no Special Place can be missed and plenty of extras exist, enjoy the process—these moments are designed to immerse players deeper into Ezo’s atmosphere and traditions.
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