TL;DR

There are 15 charms to collect in Onimusha Way of the Sword — none are hidden in the world.
1 charm comes from the main story, 6 come from Mysteries of Kyoto, and 8 come from Chance Encounters.
None are missable — free roam stays open until the final mission “The Clash At Rendaino.”
Upgrade charms at the shrine in the southeast corner of Emma’s Hall using Red Souls and Favor.
You need 135,000 Red Souls and 150,000 Favor to max all 15 charms.
Collecting and fully upgrading all 15 unlocks the Charmed Life trophy/achievement.
Charm upgrades carry over into New Game+.

Onimusha Way of the Sword – All 15 Charms Locations and Upgrade Guide

Onimusha Way of the Sword All Charms are one of the most useful things you can collect in the whole game. Charms are passive accessories — called omamori in Japanese — that give Musashi stat boosts throughout every fight. You can run up to three at once once you unlock the extra slots, so the right combination can make a real difference on harder bosses and on Carnage difficulty. This guide covers where to find all 15, what each one does, and how to max them out efficiently.

Before we get into the full list, it is worth knowing that charms work very differently from most collectibles. You do not find them in hidden chests or by exploring off the beaten path. Instead, every charm is a reward for completing a specific piece of content — either a main mission, a Mystery of Kyoto, or a Chance Encounter. That means the best way to collect them all is to simply do the side content as you go. For more on side content and collectibles, check our full guide to all Genma Notes locations in Onimusha Way of the Sword.

Table of Contents

How Charms Work in Onimusha Way of the Sword

Charms sit in the Equipment tab of the pause menu under their own Charms section. You can swap them at any time — you do not need to be at a Spirit Mirror or Emma’s Hall to change what you have equipped. This makes it easy to switch builds before a tough boss or when farming Red Souls.

At the start of the game, you only have one charm slot. You can unlock a second slot by spending Power Stones on a Basic Skill upgrade. With both slots open and the right charms equipped, you will notice a solid boost to your damage, survival, or Oni Gauge buildup depending on your build.

Each charm has three levels. Level 1 is the default when you receive it. Upgrading to Level 2 and Level 3 boosts the charm’s effect. You need to max all 15 to unlock the Charmed Life trophy. For more on how to build Red Souls fast, see our soul farming guide.

How to Unlock Charm Upgrades

Charm enhancement is not available from the start. It only unlocks once you complete the main mission “The Stage is Set at Kiyomizu.” After that, head to Emma’s Hall inside Rokudo-chinnoji Temple and walk to the shrine in the southeast corner. Interact with it and select “Make Offering” on the charm you want to level up.

Every charm costs the same amount to upgrade, regardless of which one it is:

Level 1 to Level 2: 3,000 Red Souls + 3,500 Favor
Level 2 to Level 3: 6,000 Red Souls + 6,500 Favor
Total for all 15 charms to Level 3: 135,000 Red Souls + 150,000 Favor

Red Souls come from killing Genma. Favor is earned by trading in items — you get these from shining objects on the ground, glowing small treasure chests, rescuing citizens from Genma attacks and then talking to them, and buying from the merchant. Save civilians whenever you see them. If they die, the Favor reward is gone for good.

How to Unlock Chance Encounters and Mysteries of Kyoto

Both types of side content unlock at specific points in the main story. You cannot access them from the start, so do not worry if they are not showing up in your log yet.

Chance Encounters unlock after completing the main mission “The Curse of Kiyomizu-zaka Slope.”
Mysteries of Kyoto unlock after completing the main mission “What Lurks in the Shadows.”

Once those unlock, missions appear in your log as you progress and open new districts. If a specific quest is not in your log, keep pushing the main story forward and check again.

All 15 Charms Locations in Onimusha Way of the Sword

Here is every charm, what it does at base level, and exactly how to get it. The list follows the same order as the Charms tab in your in-game menu.

Charm #1 – Charm of the Healer

Effect: Healing Effectiveness +4%
How to get it: Complete the main story mission “The Stage is Set at Kiyomizu.” This is the only charm you get automatically from the main campaign. Every other charm requires optional content.

Charm #2 – Charm of Purification

Effect: Rate of health loss when affected by Malice -20%
How to get it: Complete the Mystery of Kyoto called “The Blessed Man.” This is a great early pick-up if you are struggling with Malice fog. For more on surviving Malice, see our Malice fog guide.

Charm #3 – Charm of Zeal

Effect: Blade Gauge Increase Rate +10%
How to get it: Complete the Chance Encounter called “Pale Lights in a Night Sky.” A faster Blade Gauge means more access to Blazing State, which is one of the strongest damage windows in the game.

Charm #4 – Sadist’s Strength Charm

Effect: Attack Power when suffering from Status Ailments +8%
How to get it: Complete the Chance Encounter called “Clear Space, Clear Mind.” A niche but fun pick for players who do not mind tanking a status hit in exchange for an offensive boost.

Charm #5 – Reaper’s Charm

Effect: Red Soul Absorption Amount +5%
How to get it: Complete the Chance Encounter called “An Ugly Business.” Pairs nicely with the Charm of Enticement for soul farming runs. A good charm to have upgraded early so the bonus compounds over your whole playthrough.

Charm #6 – Charm of Stamina

Effect: Stamina Recovery Speed +10%
How to get it: Complete the Chance Encounter called “The Growling Ghost.” Faster stamina recovery means more dashes and dodges in a row. Very useful on aggressive bosses that do not give you much breathing room.

Charm #7 – Inner Strength Charm

Effect: Issen Power +5%
How to get it: Complete the Mystery of Kyoto called “Something in the Water.” Issen is one of the most powerful moves in the game, so a flat damage boost to it is always worth having. For more on Issen, see our guide on mastering Issen, parry, and deflect.

Charm #8 – Charm of Dexterity

Effect: Reflex Gauge Increase Rate +10%
How to get it: Complete the Chance Encounter called “Noisy Neighbors.” Builds your Reflex Gauge faster, which lets you use more Reflex Combo attacks. Particularly useful on bosses that cannot be staggered easily.

Charm #9 – Charm of Enticement

Effect: Genma Encounter Rate Increase — Small Boost
How to get it: Complete the Chance Encounter called “The Odd Couples.” More Genma encounters means more Red Souls. Pair this with the Reaper’s Charm for an efficient soul farming setup.

Charm #10 – Fencer’s Strength Charm

Effect: Regular Attack Power +8%
How to get it: Complete the Mystery of Kyoto called “The Faceless.” A flat boost to regular attack power. Because regular attacks are the foundation of almost every combo Musashi uses, this is one of the most consistently useful charms in the whole set.

Charm #11 – Blazing Charm

Effect: Blazing State Duration +3.0 seconds
How to get it: Complete the Mystery of Kyoto called “Worm-ly Ways.” Blazing State is a significant damage boost window, and three extra seconds is a lot of time to land extra hits. A strong pick for boss fights.

Charm #12 – Oni Strength Charm

Effect: Oni Armament Power +6%
How to get it: Complete the Mystery of Kyoto called “Some Unfinished Monkey Business.” If you lean into Oni Armament attacks, this is one of the best charms in the game. For a full breakdown of how Oni Armaments work, see our Oni Armaments and Oni Power guide.

Charm #13 – Charm of Protection

Effect: Health Loss When Hit by Enemy Attack -4%
How to get it: Complete the Mystery of Kyoto called “The Night Parade.” A passive damage reduction on every hit you take. This is one of the best survival charms in the game, especially on Carnage difficulty where every hit hurts.

Charm #14 – Charm of Awakening

Effect: Awakening Gauge Increase Rate +4%
How to get it: Complete the Chance Encounter called “A Fishy Story.” Builds your Awakening Gauge faster, so you can enter Oni Awakening more often. If you rely on Awakening for burst damage in tough fights, this charm stacks well with offensive picks.

Charm #15 – Charm of Oni Power

Effect: Oni Power Gauge Increase Rate +4%
How to get it: Complete the Chance Encounter called “Restless Spirits.” Fills your Oni Power Gauge faster, meaning more frequent access to Oni Vision reveals and Oni Power uses. Good for players who use the Oni tools regularly during exploration and combat.

All 15 Charms – Quick Reference Table

#	Charm Name	Effect (Base Level)	How to Unlock
1	Charm of the Healer	Healing Effectiveness +4%	Complete “The Stage is Set at Kiyomizu” (Main Story)
2	Charm of Purification	Malice Health Loss Rate -20%	Mystery of Kyoto: “The Blessed Man”
3	Charm of Zeal	Blade Gauge Rate +10%	Chance Encounter: “Pale Lights in a Night Sky”
4	Sadist’s Strength Charm	Attack Power During Status Ailments +8%	Chance Encounter: “Clear Space, Clear Mind”
5	Reaper’s Charm	Red Soul Absorption +5%	Chance Encounter: “An Ugly Business”
6	Charm of Stamina	Stamina Recovery Speed +10%	Chance Encounter: “The Growling Ghost”
7	Inner Strength Charm	Issen Power +5%	Mystery of Kyoto: “Something in the Water”
8	Charm of Dexterity	Reflex Gauge Rate +10%	Chance Encounter: “Noisy Neighbors”
9	Charm of Enticement	Genma Encounter Rate Boost (Small)	Chance Encounter: “The Odd Couples”
10	Fencer’s Strength Charm	Regular Attack Power +8%	Mystery of Kyoto: “The Faceless”
11	Blazing Charm	Blazing State Duration +3.0 sec	Mystery of Kyoto: “Worm-ly Ways”
12	Oni Strength Charm	Oni Armament Power +6%	Mystery of Kyoto: “Some Unfinished Monkey Business”
13	Charm of Protection	Damage Taken from Enemies -4%	Mystery of Kyoto: “The Night Parade”
14	Charm of Awakening	Awakening Gauge Rate +4%	Chance Encounter: “A Fishy Story”
15	Charm of Oni Power	Oni Power Gauge Rate +4%	Chance Encounter: “Restless Spirits”

Bonus Charms (Do Not Count Toward Charmed Life)

There are additional charms in the game tied to pre-order, edition bonuses, and the demo. None of these count toward the Charmed Life trophy. You do not need them to platinum the game. They are claimed through the Add-on Content tab at any Spirit Mirror.

Lovable Charm: Lion Dog — Pre-order bonus. Follow-up Attack Power +25%.
Lovable Charm: White Monkey — Deluxe/Premium Deluxe Edition bonus.
Lovable Charm: Mentor — Deluxe Edition bonus. Enhances Blazing State damage.
Lovable Charm: Oni Lady — Deluxe Edition bonus.
Lovable Charm: Little Dancer — Deluxe Edition bonus.
Lovable Charm: Kubi Akari — Demo save bonus. Claim it from Settings > Privacy > Demo Bonus at the title screen, then pick it up at any Spirit Mirror.

Tips for Unlocking Charmed Life Efficiently

Do all side content as you go. Treat every Chance Encounter and Mystery of Kyoto as mandatory. You get a charm at the end of each one, plus a pile of items to trade in for Favor.
Save citizens when you see them. Helping a citizen under attack from Genma and then speaking to them gives you Favor. If they die, that Favor is gone. It adds up fast over a full playthrough.
Prioritize high-impact charms first. The Fencer’s Strength Charm, Charm of Protection, and Blazing Charm all make a noticeable difference in tough fights. Upgrade those to Level 3 before spreading resources thin across the full set.
Keep a manual save before the final mission. The Point of No Return is the mission “The Clash At Rendaino.” Save manually here. All side content including any unfinished Chance Encounters and Mysteries stays available up until this point.
Charm upgrades carry into New Game+. If you are planning a second run for Carnage difficulty, any charms you already maxed stay at Level 3. You only need to fully upgrade all 15 once.

Related Guides for Onimusha Way of the Sword

Onimusha: Way of the Sword is available on PC via Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. For full game details, visit the official Capcom Onimusha website.