10 Most Beautiful Locations, Ranked

Ghost of Tsushima is a stunning game, complete with the most beautiful views all across the island of Tsushima.

It’s a widely agreed fact, with Sucker Punch‘s iconic title winning Best Art Direction in the 2020 Game Awards. It makes players excited about the art direction that the newly announced sequel, Ghost of Yōtei, is going to have.

As players return to Tsushima and Iki Island, they will return to gorgeous landscapes and unforgettable beauty.

Some of these locations contain hidden treasures and secrets, NPCs that can help with upgrades or give quests, and other collectibles that would be essential to Platinum the game.

One thing is consistent across all locations, though (including in their concept art): they’re absolutely beautiful.

10 Tadayori’s Rest

Izuhara Region, Ariake Prefecture

Players first run into Tadayori’s Rest in The Legend of Tadayori questline, while they’re following secret maps in search of Tadayori’s Legendary Armour Set. It’s located in the Ariake Prefecture in the Izuhara Region.

At his resting place, players have to duel Kaede, the last living descendant of Tadayori himself. She guards this location, striking down anyone who dares to trespass, and this includes Jin Sakai.

She doesn’t believe him when he says that he’s a samurai and not a scavenger, and after dueling her, she makes Jin promise to only wear the armor to protect innocents, which he agrees to.

The path to Tadayori’s Rest is adorned with violets along lush mountains, and it’s even more beautiful once discovered.

The violets are vivid and striking, especially in contrast with the rich greenery of the mountainside. It’s tranquil and unbothered, which only adds to the location’s overall beauty.

It’s a hidden gem in the game, and it’s unfortunately seen only briefly — thankfully, though, Kaede doesn’t mind if players come back to admire the sights.

9 Spirit Grove Cemetery

Toyotama Region, Akashima Prefecture

Often, the terms “beautiful” and “cemetery” tend not to be lumped together in the same sentence, but it definitely is the case in Ghost of Tsushima.

The Spirit Grove Cemetery is located in the Akashima Prefecture within the Toyotama Region, and it’s soothing in ways a cemetery has no right to be.

The Fox Den located within the cemetery is particularly beautiful, surrounded by white lilies and mossy rocks.

The cemetery itself is also home to Singing Crickets, and collecting them allows Jin to change the weather with his flute.

This location is beautiful in the same way melancholy can bring peace. It’s a quiet and gorgeous place to honor the dead, one where anyone would want to be buried after passing away.

8 Bamboo Forest

Toyotama Region, Kushi Prefecture

The Tsushima Bamboo Forest, strikingly similar to Kyoto’s infamous Arashiyama Bamboo Grove, is an underrated gem in Ghost of Tsushima. It is located in the Toyotama Region, specifically in the Kushi prefecture.

Home to a Hot Spring (called an “Onsen” in Japanese) that can increase Jin’s maximum health, the bamboo forest is as beautiful as it is mysterious.

It can be easy to get turned around and slightly lost in the Bamboo Forest, but thankfully, it’s not too serious if it happens. Not just because of how simple it is to get reoriented, but because the surrounding sights are stunning to look at.

The Bamboo Forest is a staple in Japanese iconography, so it’s incredible to see how it was adapted in the game. It captures the same magic of walking through a place like Arashiyama and is just as beautiful.

7 Hiyoshi Springs

Izuhara Region, Hiyoshi Prefecture

Hiyoshi Springs is an outdoor onsen and inn near the Hidden Springs Forest in the Hiyoshi Prefecture of the Izuhara Region.

Players will likely find it on their way to the Incident at Hiyoshi Pass or for The Curse of Uchitsune questlines.

The onsen has a hot spring that Jin can use, as you might expect. Plus, it’s also home to a Bower, a Trapper, and a Merchant, all of which would help Jin defeat the Mongols one way or another.

This public onsen is gorgeous, and it really shows the beautiful water physics that the game incorporates. Onsens are excellent places to relax and enjoy the scenery, which Hiyoshi Springs captures wonderfully.

6 Omi Monastery

Toyotama Region, Kubara Prefecture

Quietly tucked away in the Kubara Prefecture of the Toyotama Region is a gorgeous monk monastery called Omi Monastery. Located near Omi Village, various commoners are found hiding here from the Mongol Invasion. A few of which Jin sent there, knowing it to be a safe haven.

It’s worth going crazy over in Photo Mode, with a massive and stunning Buddha statue towering over vivid red trees, a multi-story temple sheltering refugees, and late-autumn nature surrounding it.

Omi Monastery is well hidden and absolutely beautiful, with some players only able to find it after following the iconic Golden Bird. All who encounter the area agree on one thing, though: it’s stunning to be there.

5 Spring Falls Shrine

Izuhara Region, Komoda Prefecture

In a shrine honoring Mizu-no-Kami, the water spirit, Spring Falls Shrine, is surrounded by — well, water.

Located in the Komoda Prefecture of the Izuhara Region, players must ascend several heights to get to the shrine. But there’s no need to use a grappling hook, so that’s a plus.

When they make it, they’re greeted by water and mossy stones so stunning that they take their breath away.

The number of waterfalls are nearly endless, and the rush of water isn’t loud or violent — instead, it’s calming. It’s practically meditative, so it’s no wonder that this is an area that players frequently return to.

Completing the shrine also rewards players with a Charm, which makes it easier for players to perform Parries and Perfect Parries. It’s a great reward for an already stunning location.

4 Senjo Gorge

Iki Island

The Senjo Gorge is integral to the plot of the Iki Island DLC. Without spoiling, Jin Sakai has a tense history with Iki Island, which sets a similarly tense tone upon arrival.

Not all is awful, however, as Iki Island offers some of the most scenic and beautiful locations in the game— almost all of them are based in or around Senjo Gorge.

Of course, there’s an onsen that can increase health in the gorge itself, on top of the mountains and overlooking the waterfall.

There is also, however, a small shack located at the base, where the most crucial elements of the story take place — including in the DLC’s ending, completing a classic Feudal Japanese tale.

The wisteria is seen throughout most of Iki Island, and it’s beautiful every time it’s visible. Most of these flowers, however, are in the gorge, which makes it the most beautiful spot in all of Iki Island.

3 First General’s Field

Izuhara Region, Komoda Prefecture

Perhaps one of the most iconic locations in the entire game, the First General’s Field is shown in the game’s opening credits, as Jin gallops across the field on his horse, running his hand through the swaying pampas grass.

While the game’s ending doesn’t take place there, it leaves enough of an impression for players that its location is unmistakable.

They wouldn’t have to know that it’s in the Komoda Prefecture of the Izuhara Region, they wouldn’t have to know that it leads to the Golden Temple and Ginkgo Forest — they just know that this is where the story truly begins, and it’s perhaps one of the most important locations in the game for that fact alone.

Its beauty comes from its infamy and from its simplicity, a stunning area all around. It leaves players hoping to see the pampas grass again in the sequel.

2 Field of the Equinox Flower

Toyotama Region, Umugi Prefecture

In a breathtaking display of light and color, the Field of the Equinox Flower (located in the Umugi Prefecture in the Toyotama Region) is one of the most beautiful locations in the entire game.

The field is boundless, filled with countless red spider lilies, and marked with an iconic Torii gate. The sheer amount of red is almost overwhelming, but it’s striking instead.

In Japanese culture, the equinox flower (called Higanbana in Japanese) symbolizes death—the same way cherry blossoms symbolize life in the springtime.

With their arrival during the autumn equinox and their poisonous bulbs, it’s easy to relate these parallels to Jin’s story.

In a sense, it’s almost a commentary on Jin’s life as a samurai. As he embraced being The Ghost (which is more like a ninja), the samurai that Lord Shimura had once known is long gone, making the field one of the most beautiful pieces of symbolism in video game history.

1 Golden Temple

Izuhara Region, Ariake Prefecture

The most beautiful location in the entire game, without a shadow of a doubt, is the Golden Temple. Located within the Ginkgo Forest (in the Izuhara Region in the Ariake Prefecture), this temple is one of the most gorgeous and iconic spots in the whole game.

The temple itself is home to several different quests and NPCs, a Bower, an Armourer, a Sword Smith, and even has a Gift Altar that provides additional supplies.

In a dazzling and breathtaking display of gold, the Golden Temple is surprisingly not overwhelming in its design. It’s not blindingly bright, but it’s not dull in color. Instead, everything is vibrant and full of life.

It’s the most stunning area in the entire game, and its beauty leads to one question: what will the most beautiful location in Ghost of Yotei look like next?