The golden ginkgo leaf shows up everywhere in Ghost of Yōtei — in the logo, in collectibles, and, most importantly, as your compass. In practice, it’s a simple rule: track a golden ginkgo marker on the map, then ride the wind to it. Here’s how that system works, why the Onryō armor tells you to “follow the golden ginkgo,” and what that path unlocks right after the prologue.

Use the golden ginkgo for navigation (and wind)

After the prologue, the first golden ginkgo marker points you to Yōtei’s Shadow Inn northwest of Atsu’s family home. There’s no minimap or compass; you set a destination and the wind leads you there.

Action Input
Open map Press the touchpad
Set a destination (golden ginkgo) Move the cursor to the leaf icon, press X
Summon the Guiding Wind Swipe up on the touchpad
Call horse / mount D-pad left to call, R2 to mount

On the ride, watch for world prompts: Golden Birds can lead you to nearby activities, and resource nodes flash briefly when you’re close enough to grab them with R2. Pick up Young Bamboo, flowers, and minerals as you pass; you’ll spend them soon.

“Follow the golden ginkgo leaf to upgrade” (Onryō armor)

If you see that prompt and no leaf appears, track a main story objective or a Revenge target on the map first. The Onryō armor ranks up automatically when you beat major missions or key targets — it isn’t upgraded at the forge and doesn’t consume coin or materials. The leaf message is just steering you back to a main tale.

  • Track a main quest or Revenge target (uses the golden ginkgo icon on the map).
  • Ride the wind to the objective, complete the mission or defeat the target.
  • Onryō ranks increase automatically after the milestone.
Note: You can still dye the Onryō armor at an armorer; dyes cost Flowers. Only rank upgrades are automatic.

What the golden ginkgo takes you to first: The Old Inn

Set your marker and ride northwest. You’ll cross through yellow wildflowers, then a white-flower path up to the inn; the game may shift to rain and darker skies as you approach. At the gate, you’ll see a “Join Clan Saitō” notice before you enter, and the mission begins.

Before leaving home, take a minute to collect two early boosts:

  • Memory near the outhouse → dig up Jūbei’s buried stash for 200 mon.
  • Memory by the clothesline → Mount Yōtei shrine hint (for later Charms).

The Old Inn fight — key lessons in a few minutes

  • Standoff tutorial: press L1 to start, hold △, release when the enemy fully commits to the strike. Botch it and you lose some health; nail it and the foe dies instantly.
  • Brutes: attacks glow red (unblockable). Dodge, then punish with normal or heavy attacks. Expect strings of unblockables; keep dodging until they pause.
  • Arrows: listen for the call, tap ○ to dodge, rush archers down.
  • Onryō’s Howl: fill the meter by killing without taking hits, then click both sticks (L3+R3). It terrifies nearby enemies so they drop or lower their guard.

Win the defense and you’ll get your first clue on the Yōtei Six, then choose one extra target for more intel: the Saitō Brothers, the Oni, or the Kitsune. From here, the inn turns into your first real hub.

Merchants and services unlocked at Yōtei’s Shadow Inn

Merchant / Board What you get (early game) Notes
Ran (Bowyer) Hankyū (300 mon), Yumi (2000 mon), Silk Fibers, Black Powder Hankyū is a solid first bow; Silk Fibers are needed for later armor tiers.
Kojiro (Bounty Board) Smiling Yoshitomo (750), Snake’s Assassin (1000), Crow Genzō (750) Accept Crow Genzō west of the inn (Jade Grove cemetery) to unlock the Metsubushi quickfire weapon.
Ginji (Armorer) Armor upgrades, Armor Dyes (Flowers) Early upgrades often cost coin; later tiers add materials like Silk Fibers. Dyes are cosmetic.
Isaburō (Cartographer) Traveler’s Maps for Hot Springs, Fox Dens, Bamboo Strikes, Altars of Reflection, etc. Place maps by lining up borders, rivers, and trails; the correct square highlights if you stall.

Also, look around the inn for crafting materials such as Silk Fibers. You’ll revisit this hub often between missions.

Gather coin and materials quickly

  • Coin (mon): turn in bounties at Kojiro; start with Jūbei’s 200 mon found at Atsu’s home.
  • Silk Fibers: buy from Ran for early upgrades and some ammo recipes.
  • Flowers: collect while exploring; spend them on armor dyes at Ginji.

Side path: Isaburō’s request and a skill upgrade

Speak to Isaburō near the cart by the entrance. He’ll point you toward Gesshō the monk. Open the Spyglass with D-pad up and look southeast for a small campfire beside a yellow-leaf tree; this starts “Lost in Reflection.” Completing it grants an Altar of Reflection you can use to upgrade one of Atsu’s skills.

What the ginkgo means beyond mechanics

The ginkgo leaf is not just UI; it recurs across the game’s art and collectibles, including a papercraft ginkgo tree with golden leaves in the collector’s set. In-game, the leaf becomes the throughline for navigation and progression prompts — the visual that tells you where to ride, when to push the main story, and which early hub to secure.

Where to go next

With the inn secured and merchants unlocked, follow your tracked leaf to “The Way of Dual Katana” if it’s still pending. Otherwise, ride east toward “Shōgun of the North.” If you want the Onryō armor to rank up, keep a main tale or a Revenge target tracked so the wind and its golden leaf can take you straight to the next milestone.