Tengu of Ashina

Learn about the mysterious Tengu of Ashina in Sekiro! Find his location, understand his quest to hunt 'rats', and discover the rewards like the Ashina Esoteric Text.

Alright, let's talk about the Tengu of Ashina. This mysterious warrior is a bit of an enigma at first, but he plays a pretty important role in Sekiro's journey. He's got a real knack for exterminating these guys he calls 'rats' – basically, any enemy who's infiltrated Ashina.

When you first meet him, he'll be hanging out in a building facing the Ashina Castle Gate Fortress. He'll playfully dub you 'Sekiro' because of your prosthetic arm, which is pretty cool. He'll then ask you to join him in his 'rat extermination' mission, promising a reward that'll help you out in combat. If you accept, he'll give you the Rat Description, which tells you who and where to find these 'rats'.

To complete this first task, you'll need to head towards the Ashina Castle Gate. You'll find a Senpou Assassin spying near some other Assassins. Eavesdrop on them, then take out the one near the tree. Report back to the Tengu, and he'll reward you with the Ashina Esoteric Text. Nice!

Later on, after you've defeated Genichiro and progressed further, you'll find the Tengu has moved to the Great Serpent Shrine. You'll need to have learned a 'secret technique' (which means acquiring any Combat Art from any Skill Tree) to get his final reward. Once you do, he'll gift you the Mushin Esoteric Text.

It's worth noting that the Tengu is actually Isshin Ashina in disguise! You'll realize this when you talk to Isshin in his castle after dealing with Genichiro.