As Naoe wanders the streets of Osaka in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, she finds bright origami butterflies nestled between trees and bushes around the city.
While they seem to be part of a jovial children’s game, collecting these Origami Butterflies reveals a surprising twist and a host of useful rewards. So while this might seem like a short diversion at first, it quickly becomes something a lot more attention-grabbing.
Where to find the butterfly collector
While you more than likely found one of the Origami Butterflies by accident around Osaka, you find the Butterfly Collector who gives Naoe the quest to the northeast of the city, in Katano.
Just to the west of Katano Castle, on the shopping street, you find the Butterfly Collector calling out to you. While it’s supposed to be a game for children, she challenges Naoe to track down all of the butterflies, promising a reward for their safe return.
The only advice you’re given is that they’re all found around the western part of Osaka, near the Temple of Osaka.
Origami Butterfly locations
Red Butterfly –
You find the red butterfly in the northeast corner of the square containing the Temple of Osaka:
Yellow Butterfly –
Next, the yellow butterfly is found a few streets up to the northeast from Temple of Osaka, northwest of the Kakurega:
Green Butterfly –
After that, the green butterfly can be found in the back garden of a house to the east of the area, between the Temple of Osaka and the Castle Construction Site marker:
Blue Butterfly –
Then the blue butterfly is just to the west of the Temple of Osaka:
Orange Butterfly –
To find the orange butterfly, go south from the Temple of Osaka and collect it from the tree next to the river:
Purple Butterfly –
Then, to get the the Purple Butterfly go outside the Osaka Castle walls and south of Fukushima Ruins, just to the west of Nishinomaru Garden:
Pink Butterfly –
Finally, the pink butterfly is in the southwest corner of the fishermen’s district:
White Butterfly –
Now, after you’ve collected all of the other butterflies, a new one will spawn next to the river just south of the Osaka Kakurega:
This changes the direction of the whimsical treasure hunt and gives you a new quest, Chrysalis.
2nd white butterfly –
After finding the first, you find another white butterfly next to the burned out buildings to the northwest of the Temple of Osaka, next to Kojo ruins:
3rd white butterfly –
Finally, you find the last white butterfly next to the bridge leading east from the Osaka Kakurega towards the Upper Construction site:
Chrysalis quest locations
After you find the first white butterfly, your mission changes to finding the missing children of wealthy and influential people across Osaka.
For the first white butterfly, you find the girl next to the west stables, which is in the fishermen’s district in the southwest corner. Speak to the girl and she says a woman grabbed her in a place with lots of statues.
This is the mason’s yard to the north. Here you find more letters advancing the Chrysalis quest.
Shucho –
To find the first target, Sucho, you’re given the following clues:
- She is in southwestern Settsu
- She was seen southwest of the Temple of Osaka
- She is running around the fishermen’s district
To find her, make your way down to the Fishermen’s District and hold L2 to highlight the blue circle that marks her location. She is found in the southwest corner of the island, and when you assassinate her, you get the Ink Spiller Tanto.
Mucho –
When you find the second white butterfly next to burned out buildings northwest of the Temple of Osaka, next to Kojo ruins, it gives you a lead on a sake merchant’s child who can be found on an island to the west of Osaka.
This is Kojo Ruins. Just nearby you can find the kidnapper and child, they are on the southern path visibly arguing. Assassinate the captor then follow the boy home.
Completing this section of the quest gives you a lead on the mastermind behind the kidnapping ring. Speak to the paper merchant in town, right on the northeast corner of the Temple of Osaka, and they’ll tell you the paper used to make the butterflies is delivered to Nishinomaru Garden – a choice clue.
For defeating Mucho you get the Hidden Pleat Tanto.
Richo –
After you find the third white butterfly next to the bridge leading east from the Osaka Kakurega, towards the Upper Construction site, this sends you to the burnt-out well north of the Temple of Osaka, which is on the tip of the island nearer to Nishinomaru Garden.
Here you overhear a gardener speak of a bamboo grove north of Osaka Castle near Noda Village.
Go there and defeat the kidnapper before opening the shack behind them to save the child inside.
Doing this gives you the last lead on the ringleader as well as the Trinket of Childlike Bravery and Dog-Ear Tanto.
Kacho –
To find Kacho, you get the following clues:
- She is in Southwestern Settsu
- She can be found near Nishinomaru Garden
- Her garden has butterflies
Kacho is found inside the hostile Osaka Military District on the northern edge of Nishinomaru Garden, inside the walls.
As you drop into the garden, a cutscene will play and a duel will begin.
Defeat her and you will be able to return to the original collector who sent you after the butterflies to finish the quest.
When you return to the gamemaker, she will reveal that she was abducted and indoctrinated into the gang at a young age and invited you to join the treasure hunt in the hopes you would finally put a stop to the injustice.
Pleading for a fresh start, she asks for you to choose a new name for her, but ultimately you can choose to either kill her for her part in luring in victims or spare her as a victim herself. Your decision will net you a different, but similar, trinket themed around benevolence or revenge.