Onimusha Way of the Sword – All 23 Genma Notes Locations

TL;DR

There are 23 Genma Notes hidden across all areas of the game.
None of them appear on the map — you must use Oni Vision (hold L2 + R2) to find the hidden chests.
Most notes spawn where you first fought that enemy type or in the boss arena.
The final note (Yoshitsune) is only available after you beat the game and reload your save.
Collecting all 23 unlocks the Genma-ologist trophy/achievement.
You can clean up everything before the final mission — use a manual save at the Point of No Return.

Onimusha Way of the Sword Genma Notes are the one type of collectible the game never marks on your map. There are 23 in total, and every single one is locked inside a hidden chest that stays invisible until you reveal it. If you want the Genma-ologist trophy, you need all of them. This guide has every location listed in order so you can tick them off without any guesswork.

Before you start hunting, it helps to know what you are looking for. Each Genma Note is a short lore entry about a specific enemy or boss in the game. Think of them like monster encyclopedia cards — one per enemy type. You can read them any time in the Character tab of the main menu. And if you want to get ahead on boss preparation, check out our complete boss list for Onimusha Way of the Sword so you know what is coming.

Table of Contents

How to Reveal Hidden Genma Note Chests

Every Genma Note sits inside a chest that you cannot see with the naked eye. To make it appear, you need to use your Oni Gauntlet power.

Hold L2 + R2 at the same time to activate Oni Vision.
When you are near a hidden chest, an Oni Medallion will float into view.
Walk up and interact with the medallion. It shatters and reveals the chest underneath.
Open the chest to collect the Genma Note.

Your gauntlet also glows on its own when you walk close to a hidden chest, so you will often get a warning before you even press anything. It is worth buying the Oni Vision: Treasures and Oni Vision: Search Range skills early. These expand how far the gauntlet detects hidden chests, which makes hunting much less frustrating.

One important tip: if you return to a boss arena and the chest does not appear, try resting at a nearby Spirit Mirror first to reset the area. That usually fixes it.

The Pattern Behind Genma Note Locations

Once you understand the pattern, finding these notes gets a lot easier. Here is the simple rule:

Regular enemy notes appear in the spot where you first fought that type of enemy.
Boss notes appear in the arena where you defeated that boss.
The Yoshitsune note is the only exception — it does not appear in the boss arena at all.

Because of this, the best habit is to use Oni Vision every time you finish a boss fight or encounter a brand new enemy type for the first time. If you do that consistently, you will pick up most notes naturally as you play through the story.

All 23 Genma Notes Locations

The notes below are listed in the same order they appear in the Genma Notes section of your in-game menu. Use that as a checklist to spot which ones you are still missing.

Genma Note #1 – Hitotsume Gasa

hitotsume genma note location onimusha

Location: Eastern Kyoto — head west from the Higashioji Street Spirit Mirror. Use Oni Vision near the stone lantern and wooden fence in that area to reveal the chest.

Genma Note #2 – Kubi Akari

Location: Eastern Kyoto — go south from the Kamo River – East Spirit Mirror. Enter the small house in the area and use Oni Vision near the barrels at the back to find the chest.

Genma Note #3 – Togemaru

Location: Eastern Kyoto — in the courtyard west of Yorimasa’s Monument. Use Oni Vision near the small shrine at the back of the courtyard.

Genma Note #4 – Kogai

Location: Eastern Kyoto — go north of the Gojo Street – West Spirit Mirror. Look for an opening into a building and head inside. Use Oni Vision inside the house to reveal the chest.

Genma Note #5 – Kogashira

Location: Underground Laboratory — Underground Level 3, near the Grand Theater Spirit Mirror. Use Oni Vision to find the chest in this area.

Genma Note #6 – Oboro Garasu

oboro garasu genma note location onimusha

Location: Mount Oe Valley — when you reach the bridge in the Valley, do not cross it. Instead, head downward and use the wall run to reach a hidden platform below. The chest is there on that lower platform.

Genma Note #7 – Mohja

Location: Arashiyama Temple area — go south of the Mountain Trail Spirit Mirror. You need to open the gate in this area using explosives. Once you are through the gate, use Oni Vision to find the chest just past it.

Genma Note #8 – Chijiko

Location: Underground Laboratory — Underground Level 2. Use Oni Vision along the dark corridor on this level to reveal the hidden chest.

Genma Note #9 – Hirehime

Location: Mount Oe Valley — this one is on the lower level near the water, inside a cave near a campfire. It is a different spot from the Oboro Garasu note, so make sure you drop to the very bottom of the Valley.

Genma Note #10 – Hitotsume Sho

Location: Kiyomizu-dera Temple — inside the dojo at the northmost part of the map. Use Oni Vision near the altar inside the dojo to reveal the chest.

Genma Note #11 – Byakue

Location: Kiyomizu-dera Temple — on a rooftop just north of the Kiyomizu-zaka Slope Spirit Mirror. Get up to the rooftop level and use Oni Vision there. If you want help with this boss, see our guide on how to beat Byakue.

Genma Note #12 – Dohatsu-ten

Location: Eastern Kyoto — in the same open area where you first fought Dohatsu-ten, east of the Gojo Street – East Spirit Mirror. Use Oni Vision in that spot to find the chest. For a full breakdown of this fight, see our Dohatsu-ten boss guide.

Genma Note #13 – Nue

Location: Nijo-jo Castle Gardens — in the arena where you first fought the Nue, north of the Nue Pond Spirit Mirror. Use Oni Vision inside the swampy arena area. Need help with this boss? Check our guide on how to beat the Nue.

Genma Note #14 – Daidara

Location: Oni Refuge — in the courtyard just north of the Shrine Grounds Spirit Mirror. Use Oni Vision in the courtyard to reveal the chest. For the full Daidara fight, see our Daidara boss guide.

Genma Note #15 – Shuten Doji

shuten doji genma notes location onimusha

Location: Mount Oe — outside the building where you fought Shuten Doji, east of the Mountain Trail Spirit Mirror. The chest is on the exterior of the building, not inside it. Our Shuten Doji boss guide has everything you need on that fight.

Genma Note #16 – Rasho Gan

Location: Eastern Kyoto — in the courtyard right next to the Higashioji Street Spirit Mirror where you fought Rasho-gan. Use Oni Vision in that courtyard. See our guide on how to beat Rasho-gan if you are struggling with that fight.

Genma Note #17 – Sasaki Ganryu

Location: Kiyomizu-dera Temple, Oni Refuge — go to the room where you fought Sasaki Ganryu. Use Oni Vision in that boss arena to find the chest on the balcony area overlooking the forest. Our Sasaki Ganryu guide covers the fight in detail.

Genma Note #18 – Benkei

Location: Eastern Kyoto — on the bridge where you first fought Benkei. Head to that bridge and use Oni Vision at the base of the rotten tree at the end of the bridge. The chest appears there.

Genma Note #19 – Greater Nue

greater nue genma note location onimusha

Location: Kyoto Imperial Palace — in the arena where you first fought the Greater Nue, north of the Oikeniwa Pond Garden Spirit Mirror. Head to the large tree stump in the corner of that area and use Oni Vision there. See our guide on how to beat the Greater Nue for help with that encounter.

Genma Note #20 – Dokyo

Location: Arashiyama — just past the Hozukyo Gorge, in the grassy field where you first fought Dokyo. Use Oni Vision in that area at night. Our Dokyo boss guide has the full fight breakdown.

Genma Note #21 – Ifuu

ifuu genma note location onimusha way of the sword

Location: Eastern Kyoto — in the area where you first encountered Ifuu. Return to that spot and use Oni Vision to reveal the chest. For help defeating this enemy, see our guide on how to beat Ifuu.

Genma Note #22 – Burai

Location: Eastern Kyoto — in the area where you first encountered Burai. Use Oni Vision in that same opening to find the hidden chest. Check our Burai boss guide if you need help with that fight.

Genma Note #23 – Yoshitsune (Post-Game)

Location: Rokudo-chinnoji Temple — behind the temple, near the well. This is the only note you cannot collect during a normal playthrough. Here is what to do:

First, defeat Minamoto no Yoshitsune and finish the main story.
Do not start New Game+ yet. Instead, reload your existing save from the main menu.
You will spawn back just before the Point of No Return.
Go to the back of Rokudo-chinnoji Temple and find the well.
Use Oni Vision near the well. A spot will appear — use your Oni Power to reveal the chest.
Open the chest to get the Yoshitsune Genma Note and pop the Genma-ologist trophy.

For help with the final boss fight itself, see our guide on how to beat Minamoto no Yoshitsune.

Tips to Make Genma Note Hunting Easier

Keep a manual save at the Point of No Return. The last mission is called “The Clash At Rendaino.” Save manually before it so you can return and collect anything you missed, including the Yoshitsune note after finishing.
Use Oni Vision in every boss arena right after the fight. This is when the chest appears. Do not run off immediately.
Upgrade your Oni Vision range. Buy Oni Vision: Treasures, Oni Vision: Treasures 2, and Oni Vision: Search Range early. These skills make a big difference.
Reset the area if a chest does not appear. Rest at a Spirit Mirror and return. That usually fixes it.
Genma Notes carry over into New Game+. Once you have all 23, the Genma-ologist trophy stays earned. You do not need to do it again on another playthrough.

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 more information about the game, visit the official Capcom website.