In the dense, vertical landscape of Sengoku-era Japan, Assassin’s Creed Shadows offers two distinct ways to approach every fortified location. While Yasuke can smash through front gates with his brute strength, Naoe—the shinobi of Iga—relies on a toolkit designed for verticality and stealth. Many of the game’s 36 temples and legendary shrines feature “hidden” entrances that are physically inaccessible to Yasuke. These paths often bypass elite guards, leading directly to high-tier loot or assassination targets. If you want to master the art of the ghost, you need to know where these secret breaches are hidden and how to use Naoe’s unique skills to trigger them.
1. The Grappling Hook: Accessing the “Heavenly” Rooflines
The most significant tool in Naoe’s arsenal for temple infiltration is her Grappling Hook. Unlike previous protagonists, Naoe doesn’t just use this for swinging; she uses it to access specific “hook points” that are often disguised as architectural ornaments.
The Bell Tower Breach (Todaiji Temple)
In the massive Todaiji Temple complex in Yamato, the front gate is a deathtrap. However, if you circle to the western wall, there is a weathered wooden bell tower. By using the Grappling Hook on the eaves of this tower, Naoe can bypass the entire ground patrol. This path leads directly into the temple’s attic, where you can perform a high-altitude “Air Assassination” on the temple’s lieutenant.
The Hidden Window (Floating Castle Temples)
Many temples located near water, such as those in Izumi Settsu, feature high windows that are intentionally left open for ventilation but are too high for standard climbing. Naoe can use the Grappling Hook to pull herself into these windows, placing her directly behind the shoji screens of the inner sanctum.
2. Naoe-Exclusive “Hidden Trails”
Throughout Japan, you will find 10 specific Hidden Trails. These are parkour-heavy secret routes that only Naoe can initiate. They often serve as alternative, stealthy entrances to regional temple districts or guarded ruins.
Path of Silence (Tamba Highlands)
The Path of Silence is a hidden trail located near the Ruins of Kumoryuji Temple. It requires Naoe to navigate a series of thin ropes and narrow cliff ledges. Completing this trail doesn’t just reward you with a chest; it opens a permanent secret door in the temple’s basement, allowing you to enter the “Hidden Content” areas without triggering the temple bells.
Path of Secrets (Katsuragi, Yamato)
Found in the mountainous region of Yamato, this trail uses Naoe’s agility to navigate a waterfall. Behind the falling water is a narrow crack in the rock that Yasuke is too large to fit through. This entrance leads directly into the back garden of a local shrine, bypassing the fortified bridge.
3. The Shoji Breach: Breaking the Barrier
Naoe’s Shoji Door Assassination skill isn’t just a combat move; it’s a traversal mechanic. Many temples use paper-and-wood shoji screens as their primary room dividers.
- Soft-Point Infiltration: In the Honno-ji Temple, many of the internal hallways are blocked by heavy guards. Naoe can identify “weak” shoji panels that allow her to assassinate a guard and pull them through the door, clearing a path into the secret archives without alerting the rest of the floor.
- Low-Crawl Vents: Look for small openings near the floor of these temples. Naoe can slide through these crawl spaces—often hidden behind decorative rugs or screens—to move between rooms that are otherwise locked from the outside.
4. The Isu Glyph Vault (The Ultimate Secret)
The most well-guarded secret entrance in Assassin’s Creed Shadows is the Isu Glyph Door in Wakasa. While both characters can find the 13 hidden Isu Glyphs across Japan, Naoe’s Riddle Scroll Beacon is the key to identifying the precise environmental triggers to open the vault.
- Location: The marshlands on the border of Omi and Wakasa, southeast of Kajii Monzeki Temple.
- The Entrance: After collecting all glyphs, Naoe must use her “Observe” ability to reveal a hidden interaction point on a stone megalith. Entering this vault rewards you with the Statue of Kassandra and legendary Isu-tier weaponry.
Summary of Naoe’s Temple Tactics
To maximize your efficiency when hunting for “Hidden Content” and collectibles like the Lost Pages, always prioritize these three elements:
- Vertical Scoping: Always look for Grappling Hook points before entering through a door.
- Shadow Stealth: At night, Naoe’s “Nightcrawler” passive makes her nearly invisible in temple courtyards.
- The Underwater Grate: Many temples with moats have underwater iron grates. Naoe can pick the locks on these grates to enter through the temple wells.
GGC