The island of Ezo opens fast, and it’s easy to drift off into side paths before your build has the tools it needs. Here’s a clean, low-friction order of operations that frontloads mobility, combat options, vendors, and reliable upgrades while avoiding early-game dead ends.

Return home first: trigger memories, grab resolve, find starter cash

After the title sequence, stay at Atsu’s homestead for a few minutes. Hold the touchpad to step into a childhood memory; these moments not only frame the story but also surface practical clues. Rebuild the bamboo station to the left of the house to earn Resolve — the resource you’ll use for healing and techniques — and speak with Atsu’s brother at the back-right of the property to learn about a hidden money stash. This short stop equips you for the road and teaches combat timing safely.

Secure a horse at the Old Stables and commit to a name

Ride or walk west into Shikotsu Woods to the Old Stables. Clearing out Lord Saito’s men there earns you a mount and a chance to name it. You can choose a White, Black, or Dapple coat; there are no stat differences, but you can’t swap horses later, so pick what you want to see in every cutscene. A horse drastically cuts travel time across Ezo’s plains.

Tip: Galloping through white flower fields triggers a speed burst. Use those lanes to cover ground quickly between early objectives.

Unlock Dual Katana on Mount Yotei before you push deeper

Head east toward Mount Yotei to start The Way of Dual Katana. Stick to the grass where possible — there are ground traps along the dirt paths — and track down the master who teaches the style. The Dual Katana technique lets Atsu wield two blades and is especially strong against spearmen, a common early-game threat. Getting this stance now will make random road ambushes far less punishing.

Save Taro on the road and get a portable merchant

Just before the Old Inn, intervene when Ronin harass Taro. Once safe, Taro functions as a youthful trader who buys your loot and sells helpful items — notably Charms for passive bonuses and maps that reveal activity locations. Freeing him effectively adds a roaming shop to your route.

Talk to everyone, use your tools, and mark your own map

NPCs along roads, in fields, and near camps will mark points of interest and hand out bite-size jobs that pay in coin and crafting materials. Combine those conversations with the game’s navigation tools so you aren’t wandering blindly:

Tool or cue How it works Why it matters early
Gust Wind Swipe up on the touchpad to summon wind toward your tracked objective. Stay oriented without cluttering your screen with UI.
Spyglass Press up on the d-pad and pan; a yellow crosshair glow marks a discoverable spot. Auto-adds points of interest to your map for later routing.
Golden birds Follow their flight path. They lead to activities and rewards you’ll want early, like hot springs.
Signposts Read roadside markers. Quick landmark intel without opening menus.
Fast travel Open the map and press triangle on discovered locations. Cut travel time as soon as a route is scouted.
Note: Camps are more than a bedroll. Set one up from the d-pad to rest, craft, cook brief stat buffs, and even trigger visits from traveling NPCs.

Go to the Old Inn early to unlock core systems

The Old Inn is the hinge point that turns exploration into progression. Push the main path long enough to open the Shadow Inn and its vendors, then fan back out. Here’s what you unlock and why it matters now:

Unlock Function Early-game value
Armorer Upgrade armor and gear. Converts scavenged materials into real survivability.
Cartographer Sells Traveler’s Maps for activities and rewards. Reveals hot springs, bamboo strikes, shrines, and more without blind searching.
Ranged goods merchant Ammo and throwables. Keeps tools topped up for stealth and crowd control.
Bounties Targets tracked via the world map. Reliable coin injections for continuous upgrades.

Also start visiting Altars of Reflection you discover or mark with the Spyglass. Paying respects at these sites unlocks specific techniques, complementing the skill points you’ll earn from other activities.

Scavenge, sell, and spend on maps and permanent stat boosts

Loot every encounter and comb the roadside; sell extras to fund the purchases that snowball your build. Prioritize Traveler’s Maps that point you to:

  • Hot Springs for permanent max health increases.
  • Bamboo Strikes for permanent Spirit increases.
  • Shrines for skill points to slot into your trees.

This loop — map, locate, complete, repeat — accelerates your foundation more than buying incremental gear early on.

Head northeast to Ishikari Plain for your first standout armor

With vendors unlocked and a few upgrades in place, turn to the Golden Foothills. The Ishikari Plain to the northeast ties into the main revenge thread against The Oni, but it’s also where rumors can lead you to Ugetsu the Storyteller and the Tale of the Undying Samurai. Completing that side story rewards a samurai armor set tuned for the early game: it widens Perfect Parry and Perfect Dodge windows, boosts stagger damage, and restores health when you stagger enemies. That single kit dramatically lowers the punishment for learning enemy timings.

Learn the combat language now to avoid cheap deaths

Ghost of Yōtei telegraphs attacks cleanly once you know what to watch for:

  • Hold L1 to block ordinary strikes.
  • Blue glint: parry with L1 as the blow lands.
  • Red glint: dodge with circle; you can’t block or parry these.
  • Yellow glint: your foe is attempting to disarm you. Hold triangle and release as their swipe connects to keep your weapon.
  • Triangle performs heavy attacks to break guard and build stagger.

Keep an eye on Spirit — the yellow pips above your health. It fuels heals and abilities and builds as you parry, defeat enemies, and use advanced techniques. Pairing this with Dual Katana against spearmen cleans up most early skirmishes.

Make camp part of your daily route

When you’re between quests or low on supplies, set up camp. You can cook basic food for temporary buffs, craft ammo, play the shamisen to access utility songs later, and rest to restore health and Spirit. Some Wolf Pack allies and traveling vendors will drop by while you’re camped, giving you access to new charms, cosmetic gear, and services without a detour back to a settlement.

Follow this path — home for Resolve and cash, stables for a mount, Mount Yotei for Dual Katana, Old Inn for systems, Ishikari for armor — and you’ll have mobility, crowd answers, steady income, and clear upgrade targets within a couple of hours. From there, let the wind guide you. Ezo is generous once you give yourself the tools to thrive in it.