Charms are the accessory slot in Onimusha: Way of the Sword. Each one hands Musashi a passive stat boost, and you can run three at once, so the set you carry into a boss fight matters as much as your sword enhancements. None of the 15 are hidden in a chest at the end of a corridor. They come from side content and one story mission, which means the players who ignore Kyoto’s optional work finish the game with a handful of empty slots.
Quick answer: There are 15 charms. One drops from the story mission “The Stage is Set at Kiyomizu,” and the other 14 are rewards for completing Mysteries of Kyoto and Chance Encounters. Upgrade them at the shrine in the southeast corner of Emma’s Hall using Red Souls and Favor.
All 15 charm locations in Onimusha: Way of the Sword
Charm of the Healer arrives automatically as you push through the main story. Everything after it is tied to a named side activity, so the practical approach is to clear every Mystery of Kyoto and Chance Encounter you stumble into rather than hunting charms as separate collectibles.
| Charm | How you get it |
|---|---|
| Charm of the Healer | Complete the mission “The Stage is Set at Kiyomizu” |
| Charm of Purification | “The Blessed Man” (Mystery of Kyoto) |
| Charm of Zeal | “Pale Lights in a Night Sky” (Chance Encounter) |
| Sadist’s Strength Charm | “Clear Space, Clear Mind” (Chance Encounter) |
| Reaper’s Charm | “An Ugly Business” (Chance Encounter) |
| Charm of Stamina | “The Growling Ghost” (Chance Encounter) |
| Inner Strength Charm | “Something in the Water” (Mystery of Kyoto) |
| Charm of Dexterity | “Noisy Neighbors” (Chance Encounter) |
| Charm of Enticement | “The Odd Couples” (Chance Encounter) |
| Fencer’s Strength Charm | “The Faceless” (Mystery of Kyoto) |
| Blazing Charm | “Worm-ly Ways” (Mystery of Kyoto) |
| Oni Strength Charm | “Some Unfinished Monkey Business” (Mystery of Kyoto) |
| Charm of Protection | “The Night Parade” (Mystery of Kyoto) |
| Charm of Awakening | “A Fishy Story” (Chance Encounter) |
| Charm of Oni Power | “Restless Spirits” (Chance Encounter) |
Note: none of these are missable. Free roam stays open right up to the point of no return before the final mission, “The Clash At Rendaino,” and selecting Continue from the main menu after the credits drops you back before that fight for cleanup.
How to upgrade charms at the Emma’s Hall shrine
Charm enhancement unlocks after you finish “The Stage is Set at Kiyomizu.” From that point the shrine in the southeast corner of Emma’s Hall handles every upgrade, and the currency is a pairing of Red Souls and Favor.
Every charm shares the same price list, which makes the maths simple.
| Upgrade | Red Souls | Favor |
|---|---|---|
| Level 2 (per charm) | 3,000 | 3,500 |
| Level 3 (per charm) | 6,000 | 6,500 |
| All 15 charms to Level 3 | 135,000 | 150,000 |
Where Red Souls and Favor come from
Red Souls are the easier half of the bill. Kill Genma, absorb what they drop, and the total climbs steadily as you explore. Favor is the slower currency because it is earned by trading in items rather than by fighting.
Tradeable items turn up in four places: shining objects on the ground, small treasure chests that give off the same glow, citizens you rescue from Genma attacks and then speak to afterwards, and the merchant’s stock. Saving civilians is worth building into your routine, since ignoring them means they die permanently and you lose the reward entirely.
Charmed Life trophy and New Game+ carryover
The Charmed Life trophy and achievement requires both halves of the job. Collect all 15 charms and fully upgrade every one of them. Owning the set at Level 1 does nothing for it.
Carryover matters if you are planning a second run, because Carnage difficulty is locked on a first playthrough and most completionists end up doing two laps regardless. Charms and their enhancements travel with you into New Game+, alongside Awakened Oni Abilities, enhanced basic and special skills, Hozuki Pouches and their upgrades, items, Genma Notes and Lion Dogs.
What resets is the side content that hands out the charms in the first place. Mysteries of Kyoto and Chance Encounters do not carry over, and neither do clothing, sword and gauntlet enhancements, Red Souls or Spirit Mirror progress. So the charms you already earned stay yours, but you will be redoing the quests if you want their completion credit again.
Deluxe Edition charms and the shrine add-on menu
Bonus charms tied to your edition are not scattered across Kyoto. They sit in the add-on section available at any shrine, and they stay there until you claim them. Open a shrine, move to the add-on list, and the entitled items drop straight into your inventory.
| Edition | Charm included |
|---|---|
| Standard ($69.99) | Lion Dog charm, plus the Sealed Curse sword skin |
| Deluxe ($79.99) | Adds the White Monkey charm, White Lion skin and an outfit pack |
| Premium Deluxe ($89.99) | Adds companion outfits, extra skins and the digital soundtrack |
If the add-on list looks empty, the usual cause is a storefront entitlement that has not synced yet rather than a missed step in-game. Restore your licences on your platform, restart the game and check the shrine again.
The cheapest way to end up with a maxed charm set is to treat side content as mandatory from the moment Emma’s Hall opens up. Every Chance Encounter you clear is both a charm and a pile of tradeable items, and every citizen you pull out of a Genma ambush is Favor you will not have to grind for later.
