Bamboo Strikes are Ghost of Tsushima collectibles, mini-games, and hidden locations that must be discovered and completed while exploring the Island of Tsushima in the video game developed by Sucker Punch. The Ghost of Tsushima Bamboo Strikes are important because they allow you to increase Jin’s Resolve.
Once found and completed, a Bamboo Strike improves Jin’s Resolve, which means that you’ll be able to heal more and you’ll also be able to perform more Mythic Techniques. Each time you find a Bamboo Strike in Ghost of Tsushima, you must complete a mini-game. Usually, the locations of the Strikes can be found through exploration; however, you can find them faster if you use maps.
Keep in mind that there are 16 Bamboo Strikes in the video game, and you’ll need to find all of them to unlock the Body, Mind, and Spirit Trophy. For the said PlayStation 4 trophy, along with these mini-games, you’ll also need to find all Inari Shrines, Haiku, and Hot Springs.
Once you find one of these mini-games, place Jin in front of it and press R2 to start training. Each mini-game includes three sequences during which you’ll need to cut several bamboo stalks. The first sequence has 3, the second has 5, and the third has 7. To cut through these bamboo stalks, you’ll have to press the buttons on the screen in quick succession—for example, L1, X, X, X, X, L1, O.
To find these Ghost of Tsushima collectibles, you have two options. The first one is through exploration, and it requires your attention to the environment. Alternatively, you can use the maps below and visit the marked locations without looking for them. The second method is obviously faster.
If you wish to see how many mini-games you have completed (track your progress), open the game’s menu and press L1/R1 to access the Collections tab. Next, go to the Exploration sub-tab and look for the Bamboo Strikes window. In the upper left corner, you can see the total amount of challenges in the game and the number of mini-games you have completed.
Since these mini-games can be quite challenging, you may want to use a small Ghost of Tsushima cheat that will help you complete them way faster and without having to destroy your controller. These mini-games have two components.
The first one is the sequence of buttons you need to press, which must be the same as the one on the screen, and the second one is the time limit. Removing one of these will make the Bamboo Strikes accessible for everyone, even if you aren’t a hardcore gamer. So the time limit has to go.
To do this, open the game’s menu, then go to Options, and then to Accessibility. Now, turn the Simplified Controls On. This trick will remove the time limit from the Bamboo Strikes mini-games, and all you have to do is press the corresponding buttons that appear on your screen at your own pace.
Normally, if you know the locations revealed below, you’ll be able to finish these challenges in less than 15 minutes.
Izuhara Bamboo Strike Locations
The first 7 Bamboo Strikes in Ghost of Tsushima are found in Izuhara Region.
Azamo Bamboo Strike
Found east of Azamo Bay. It can be unlocked by completing the “Unfinished Business” Side Tale.
Tsutsu Bamboo Strike
Located southeast of Quiet Basin Hot Spring and northwest of Logging Base.
Komatsu Bamboo Strike
Located southeast of Komatsu Forge.
Ariake Bamboo Strike
Look for it southwest of Tadayori’s Rest.
Hiyoshi Bamboo Strike
In Hiyoshi Springs. Although the icon will not appear on your map, you can complete this one by talking to the NPC pictured below. When you do that, he’ll unlock the Bamboo Strike nearby.
Kashine Bamboo Strike
Found southeast of Komoda Town.
Komoda Bamboo Strike
Located in Komoda Town.
Toyotama Bamboo Strike Locations
The next 6 Bamboo Strikes in Ghost of Tsushima are found in Toyotama Region. Here are their exact locations.
Akashima Bamboo Strike
Look for it east of Akashima Lighthouse.
Umugi Bamboo Strike
Found west of Umugi Cove.
Yarikawa Bamboo Strike
Located northwest of Taka’s Grave.
Kushi Bamboo Strike
Look for it north of Koshimizu Farmstead.
Kubara Bamboo Strike
Just south of Riverside Farm.
Otsuna Bamboo Strike
Found north of Omi Village.
Kamiagata Bamboo Strike Locations
The last 3 Bamboo Strikes in Ghost of Tsushima are found in Kamiagata.
Endless Forest Bamboo Strike
Found east of Twilight’s Edge Overlook.
Kin Bamboo Strike
North of Kin Sanctuary and southeast of General’s Bartu Camp. Next to a Pillar of Honor.
Sago Bamboo Strike
South of Derelict Mine.
