Onimusha Way of the Sword Chance Encounters are the game’s 18 optional side missions, spread across Kyoto and its surrounding areas. Complete all 18 and you unlock the No Job Too Small Silver trophy. These are not just filler content either – 8 of them reward you with Charms that provide real passive buffs in combat, and the Hidden Treasure ones are some of the trickiest quests in the whole game. This guide covers every Chance Encounter in order, what unlocks each one, what you need to do, and every reward you get. For a full overview of every collectible in the game alongside Chance Encounters, check our complete collectibles guide covering all 273 items, or our Mysteries of Kyoto guide for the other major side content type.
TL;DR – Quick Summary
- There are 18 Chance Encounters total.
- Completing all 18 earns the No Job Too Small Silver trophy.
- They appear on the map as Notebook icons.
- Chance Encounters unlock in batches as you progress through specific main story missions.
- They first become available after completing the mission “The Curse of Kiyomizu-zaka.”
- Track progress via Main Menu → Progress → Chance Encounters.
- 8 of the 18 reward Charms – needed for the Charmed Life Silver trophy too.
- 5 of the 18 are Hidden Treasure quests – the hardest ones in the game.
- 4 are Ace Archer challenges requiring Oni Bow skill.
- They do not carry over into New Game+ – finish them all in your first playthrough.
- Save a manual file before “The Clash at Rendaino” to allow post-story cleanup.
What Are Chance Encounters?
Chance Encounters are Onimusha Way of the Sword’s side mission system. They appear across the map as Notebook icons, and you start each one by walking to the marker and speaking to the NPC standing there. Most are short self-contained tasks – kill a group of enemies, find a hidden item, or complete a skill challenge. A few involve small multi-step hunts.
They do not all appear at once. New batches unlock as you hit specific story milestones, so you need to keep returning to the map as you progress. You can track every Chance Encounter you have completed and have yet to complete by going to Main Menu → Progress → Chance Encounters.
Like Mysteries of Kyoto, Chance Encounters do not carry over into New Game+ and will need to be completed again on a second run if you are going for Platinum. Do all 18 before you start NG+.
All 18 Chance Encounters – Full List with Unlock Conditions
- #1 – Pale Lights in a Night Sky – Available when Chance Encounters unlock
- #2 – Clear Space, Clear Mind – Available when Chance Encounters unlock
- #3 – Ace Archer: Kiyomizu-dera Temple – Available after Bloodbath on the Bridge
- #4 – Ace Archer: Nijo-jo Castle – Available after Bloodbath on the Bridge
- #5 – The Growling Ghost – Available after A Tempest at the Temple
- #6 – Ace Archer: Kyoto Imperial Palace – Available after A Tempest at the Temple
- #7 – Hidden Treasure No. 1 – Available after A Tempest at the Temple
- #8 – Hidden Treasure No. 2 – Available after To Live is to Suffer
- #9 – An Ugly Business – Available after To Live is to Suffer
- #10 – Noisy Neighbors – Available after To Live is to Suffer
- #11 – Hidden Treasure No. 3 – Available after Okuni’s Kabuki Dance
- #12 – The Odd Couples – Available after Okuni’s Kabuki Dance
- #13 – A Fishy Story – Available after The Demon on the Mount
- #14 – Ace Archer: Mount Oe – Available after The Demon on the Mount
- #15 – Hidden Treasure No. 4 – Available after The Demon on the Mount
- #16 – Ace Archer: Arashiyama – Available after In the Light of an Icy Moon
- #17 – Hidden Treasure No. 5 – Available after In the Light of an Icy Moon
- #18 – Restless Spirits – Available after In the Light of an Icy Moon
Chance Encounters #1 and #2 – Pale Lights in a Night Sky / Clear Space, Clear Mind
Unlock: Available as soon as Chance Encounters open up
Reward: Charm of Zeal (#1) | Sadist’s Strength Charm (#2)
These are the first two Chance Encounters you can access. Both appear on the map as soon as the Notebook icon system unlocks after completing “The Curse of Kiyomizu-zaka.” Find the marked NPCs, talk to them to receive the quest, and follow the objectives. Both are straightforward combat-focused missions – clear the enemies in the designated area to finish them. Each one rewards you with a Charm, making them worth doing as early as possible since the Charms provide passive buffs from that point forward.
Chance Encounters #3 and #4 – Ace Archer: Kiyomizu-dera Temple / Ace Archer: Nijo-jo Castle
Unlock: Available after Bloodbath on the Bridge
Reward: Items / Oni Stone
The Ace Archer challenges are a recurring type of Chance Encounter. There are four of them in total. Each one gives you a series of targets to hit with your Oni Bow within a set time limit or across a specific course. These do not reward Charms but they do give useful items and contribute to your Chance Encounter count. Use your Oni Vision before starting to get a feel for where the targets are positioned so you are not hunting for them during the time limit. The Oni Bow has unlimited ammo so do not hold back.
Chance Encounter #5 – The Growling Ghost
Unlock: Available after A Tempest at the Temple
Reward: Charm of Stamina
Find the marked NPC and talk to them to start this quest. Follow the waypoints into the area and deal with the enemy encounter waiting there. The “growling ghost” is a Genma presence causing trouble for the locals. Clear the threat and the Chance Encounter wraps up. This one rewards the Charm of Stamina, which helps with endurance in longer fights.
Chance Encounter #6 – Ace Archer: Kyoto Imperial Palace
Unlock: Available after A Tempest at the Temple
Reward: Items
The third Ace Archer challenge, this time set inside the Kyoto Imperial Palace area. Same format as the others – locate the NPC with the Notebook marker, take on the target shooting course with your Oni Bow, and finish it within the conditions. A good opportunity to sharpen up your bow aim before you need it for more important things like Hidden Treasure hunts.
Chance Encounters #7, #8, #11, #15, and #17 – Hidden Treasure No. 1 through No. 5
Unlock: Spread across multiple story missions (see list above)
Reward: Tamahagane, Fine Silk Cloth, and other upgrade materials
The Hidden Treasure quests are the most challenging Chance Encounters in the game. Each one starts with an NPC handing you an Old Drawing – it looks like a photograph and shows a visual clue of the treasure location. You also get a rough map marker, but it only narrows down the general zone. You have to use your Oni Eyes (Oni Vision) in the right spot to uncover the treasure itself.
Here is where each one is found:
- Hidden Treasure No. 1 – Near the Kiyomizu-zaka Slope Spirit Mirror. The X marks a nearby rooftop. Find the long ladder in the alley, climb it, then climb a second smaller ladder. Use your Oni Eyes on the top of the second roof to find it.
- Hidden Treasure No. 2 – Near the Yasaka Pagoda and its Spirit Mirror. The drawing shows the pagoda, a ladder, and a waterfall. Find the ladder near the stream and follow it up. Zoom into your map to spot ladders – they actually appear when zoomed in close. Use Oni Eyes at the bottom of the small waterfall nearby.
- Hidden Treasure No. 3 – In Eastern Kyoto, near the Kamo River – East Spirit Mirror. The drawing shows an X mark on a gate near a tall wall. You need to search from inside the wall, not outside. Head into the large temple area infested with Genma near that marker and use your Oni Eyes to uncover it.
- Hidden Treasure No. 4 – Unlocks after The Demon on the Mount. Follow the map marker to the general area and scan with your Oni Vision. The drawing gives the visual clue you need to zero in on the exact spot.
- Hidden Treasure No. 5 – Unlocks after In the Light of an Icy Moon, in the Arashiyama zone. Use the map marker as a starting point and activate Oni Eyes in the surrounding area to pull the chest out of hiding.
The key rule for all Hidden Treasure quests: the map marker is approximate, not exact. Do not stand on the marker and wonder why nothing is there. Search the surrounding area with Oni Eyes until the chest reveals itself.
Chance Encounter #9 – An Ugly Business
Unlock: Available after To Live is to Suffer
Reward: Reaper’s Charm
Pick this one up from the Notebook-marked NPC after the story mission unlocks it. It involves dealing with a hostile situation that has gotten out of hand for a citizen. Follow the quest marker, clear out the Genma enemies involved, and resolve the encounter. The Reaper’s Charm reward is a useful passive that is worth grabbing as soon as this becomes available.
Chance Encounter #10 – Noisy Neighbors
Unlock: Available after To Live is to Suffer
Reward: Charm of Dexterity
Another combat-focused side mission that unlocks in the same batch as An Ugly Business. Find the NPC, hear their problem, and head to the waypoint to deal with the Genma disturbance. Clear the enemies and the Chance Encounter completes, rewarding the Charm of Dexterity. A quick one to knock out while you are in the area doing #8 and #9.
Chance Encounter #12 – The Odd Couples
Unlock: Available after Okuni’s Kabuki Dance
Reward: Charm of Enticement
This Chance Encounter unlocks alongside Hidden Treasure No. 3 after Okuni’s Kabuki Dance. Find the marked NPC, take on the quest, follow the waypoints, and deal with the enemy encounter. The Charm of Enticement is your reward here, adding another passive slot to your equipment loadout. See our Charms guide and best builds to see where this fits in the optimal setup.
Chance Encounter #13 – A Fishy Story
Unlock: Available after The Demon on the Mount
Reward: Charm of Awakening
This is one of the later-game Chance Encounters, unlocking after you push through The Demon on the Mount main story mission. Something has gone wrong near the water, and a local citizen needs help sorting it out. Follow the markers, deal with whatever Genma threat is involved, and collect the Charm of Awakening as your reward. This is one of the few Charms that does not appear in the earlier parts of the game, so do not miss it.
Chance Encounter #14 – Ace Archer: Mount Oe
Unlock: Available after The Demon on the Mount
Reward: Tamahagane
The fourth and final Ace Archer challenge, now set on Mount Oe. By this point in the game your bow skill should be solid. Take on the target shooting challenge, hit your marks, and finish the course. The reward here is Tamahagane, one of the rarer equipment upgrade materials needed for the Dressed to Kill trophy. Worth doing just for the upgrade material alone.
Chance Encounter #18 – Restless Spirits
Unlock: Available after In the Light of an Icy Moon
Reward: Charm of Oni Power
The final Chance Encounter in the game. It unlocks alongside Hidden Treasure No. 5 and Ace Archer: Arashiyama after completing In the Light of an Icy Moon. Find the NPC marked on the map in the Arashiyama zone, take on the quest, and deal with the spirits causing trouble in the area. Completing it rewards the Charm of Oni Power, the last Charm tied to a Chance Encounter. If this is your 18th completed encounter, the No Job Too Small trophy unlocks at the same time.
All Charm Rewards from Chance Encounters
Eight Chance Encounters each give you a Charm when completed. Here is every one at a glance:
- Pale Lights in a Night Sky → Charm of Zeal
- Clear Space, Clear Mind → Sadist’s Strength Charm
- The Growling Ghost → Charm of Stamina
- An Ugly Business → Reaper’s Charm
- Noisy Neighbors → Charm of Dexterity
- The Odd Couples → Charm of Enticement
- A Fishy Story → Charm of Awakening
- Restless Spirits → Charm of Oni Power
These 8 Charms, combined with 6 from Mysteries of Kyoto and 1 from story progression, make up the full set of 15 needed for the Charmed Life Silver trophy. That means finishing every Chance Encounter is not just about No Job Too Small – it is also a core part of getting Charmed Life. Our full Charms locations guide and Charms best builds guide have everything else you need on that front.
Tips for Completing All 18 Chance Encounters
Do Them As They Appear
New Chance Encounters unlock after specific story missions, so new Notebook icons will appear on your map regularly as you play. The best habit is to knock out any newly available ones before pushing forward with the story. This way you are never sitting on a backlog of 10 at once.
Check the Progress Menu Regularly
You can see exactly which Chance Encounters you have done and which are still pending by going to Main Menu → Progress → Chance Encounters. This is the fastest way to spot if you have missed anything in a previous area without having to re-explore the entire map.
Use Oni Vision for Hidden Treasures
The 5 Hidden Treasure quests are the trickiest. The map marker gives only a rough area. When you get close, hold L2/LT and press R2/RT to activate your Oni Vision and scan the surroundings. The treasure chest is hidden and will only reveal itself when you use your Oni Eyes in the right spot. Move around the general area slowly and keep scanning. Make sure you have Oni Vision: Treasures unlocked from the Special Skills menu – it makes nearby chests and items glow when you scan, which dramatically speeds up the Hidden Treasure hunts.
Ace Archer Tips
For the 4 Ace Archer challenges, your Oni Bow has unlimited ammo so there is no need to hold back. Prioritize distant or moving targets first since they take longer to line up. Standing still and panning is often faster than moving between positions. If you struggle with aim, make sure you are not trying to rush – steady aim beats fast panicking every time.
Do Not Skip Arashiyama Encounters
The last three Chance Encounters (#16, #17, #18) unlock after In the Light of an Icy Moon, which pushes you into the Arashiyama area. This is a later zone and easy to rush through since the final mission is approaching. Slow down and do all three before accepting “The Clash at Rendaino.” If you want help navigating Arashiyama, our hidden path guide for In the Light of an Icy Moon covers any tricky spots in that mission.
Save Before the Point of No Return
Keep a manual save before you accept “The Clash at Rendaino.” This is the final mission and a Point of No Return warning appears before you commit. The game lets you Continue after credits and return to before the final mission, but a manual save is a clean safety net. All Chance Encounters must be done by this point to count toward No Job Too Small in the same playthrough.
Chance Encounters Do Not Carry Over to New Game+
Like Mysteries of Kyoto, Chance Encounters reset on New Game+ and do not carry over. If you are aiming for the Platinum and need a Carnage difficulty run, you will need to redo all 18 on that second playthrough too. Plan accordingly and do not leave them for last-minute cleanup. Our Platinum trophy roadmap has the best order for tackling everything across both runs.
Related Guides
- All 8 Mysteries of Kyoto Guide
- All Charms Locations Guide
- Charms Guide and Best Builds
- All Hozuki Pouches Locations
- All Lion Dog Locations
- All Genma Notes Locations
- Spirit Mirrors Guide – Fast Travel and Save Points
- Soul Farming Guide – for upgrading Charms after collecting them
- Tips and Tricks for Beginners
- Complete Collectibles Guide – All 273 Locations
Onimusha Way of the Sword is available on PC via Steam, PlayStation, and Xbox. For more on the game, visit the official Onimusha Way of the Sword site.
