TL;DR
- The Way of the Blacksmith quest activates after building your Kakurega and recruiting Junjiro
- Heiji is located in southwestern Izumi Settsu, east of Port of Sakai in a small courtyard
- Use rooftop navigation along the western side of Sakai’s main street for optimal approach
- Observe using L2/LT to identify Heiji’s blue marker among resources and four thugs
- Complete this quest to unlock the essential Forge facility for weapon upgrades
Mastering the early game progression in Assassin’s Creed Shadows requires understanding key quest triggers. The “Way of the Blacksmith” represents one of your initial major objectives within the League board system of your menu interface.
Quest initiation occurs immediately following construction of your first Hideout structure – the Kakurega – at Tomiko’s Homestead. After successfully recruiting Junjiro to your cause, Tomiko will direct you toward locating Heiji, the master blacksmith residing in Sakai. This mission serves as the gateway to establishing your Forge facility, an essential upgrade station for your equipment.
Our comprehensive Assassin’s Creed Shadows navigation guide provides detailed instructions for pinpointing Heiji’s exact position to successfully conclude the “Way of the Blacksmith” objective and establish your weapon enhancement capabilities.
Your objective tracking will display the “Way of the Blacksmith” quest prominently on the League board section of your Objectives menu, positioned directly beneath Tomiko’s character portrait. The investigative clues provided indicate that Heiji occupies a specific geographical area:
For players preferring thorough reconnaissance, deploying scouts to survey the coastal vicinity approximately one city block inland yields optimal results. Alternatively, consulting your in-game map provides immediate visual confirmation of Heiji’s precise coordinates. Below we detail the most efficient route to reach his workshop location.
Upon arriving in Sakai, immediately ascend to the rooftop network lining the western perimeter of the primary thoroughfare. This elevated pathway provides superior visibility and tactical positioning.
From this vantage point, you’ll discover Heiji situated within a compact courtyard west of the main street. Activate your observation mode (default L2/LT controls) to concentrate your view and identify his distinctive blue mission marker. The surrounding area contains numerous collectible resources (indicated by yellow markers) guarded by four hostile thugs (represented by white indicators).
Seasoned players recommend approaching this mission with strategic foresight. The rooftop path isn’t just scenic – it provides critical stealth advantages and escape routes if detected. Many newcomers make the error of approaching at street level, alerting the thugs prematurely and complicating the interaction.
Time investment for this quest typically ranges between 10-15 minutes for experienced players, while newcomers might require 20-25 minutes accounting for exploration and combat. The four thugs surrounding Heiji represent moderate threats individually but become dangerous when engaged as a group. Using the environment to separate them or utilizing stealth takedowns proves most effective.
Remember that the resources marked in yellow around Heiji’s location often include rare crafting materials essential for later upgrades. Don’t rush through this encounter – thoroughly loot the area after securing the blacksmith’s cooperation to maximize your resource acquisition.
Action Checklist
- Complete Kakurega construction and recruit Junjiro at Tomiko’s Homestead
- Travel to Sakai and ascend western rooftops along main street
- Use L2/LT observation to identify Heiji’s blue marker in courtyard
- Neutralize four thugs using stealth or combat tactics
- Collect surrounding resources and initiate dialogue with Heiji
No reproduction without permission：Game Guides » ‘Way of the Blacksmith’ walkthrough for Assassin’s Creed Shadows Complete guide to finding Heiji in Sakai and unlocking the Forge in Assassin's Creed Shadows