In the quest titled “The Butterfly Collector” assigned by the Gamekeeper in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, your mission is to find ten origami butterflies scattered across the Osaka area. This quest is one of the first significant ones that takes you beyond the main storyline, and gathering these origami butterflies will prove to be more complicated than it initially appears. As you search, you’ll uncover a clandestine group of women involved in the kidnapping of children in Osaka. Among the origami butterflies, you will find secret letters that provide hints about the group’s locations.
[Note: The following content contains spoilers for Assassin’s Creed Shadows.]
Your quest to collect the ten origami butterflies includes three that will lead you to the Butterfly Collector target board, ultimately pointing to four main targets: Richo, Shucho, Mucho, and Kacho, who is the mastermind behind the abductions. These kidnappings are part of a larger scheme, and you must locate these targets to rescue the children and uncover the full story. A great starting point for locating the origami butterflies and untangling the kidnapping network is the Osaka Kakurega; use your Focus ability to spot the blue indicators around Osaka.
All Origami Butterfly Locations in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
Seven Origami Butterflies & Three Secret Notes Scattered Across Osaka
To begin your hunt from the Osaka Kakurega, activate the Eagle Vision in AC Shadows to identify several nearby blue beacons. You’ll find all the origami butterflies nestled in the trees of the Osaka region, and you may observe actual butterflies fluttering near each spot. Though there is no specific sequence to collect the origami butterflies and notes, I’ve listed their locations here in the order I discovered them from the Kakurega:
| Origami Butterfly | Location |
|---|---|
| Green Origami Butterfly | Northeast of Osaka Kakurega in a garden |
| Secret Origami Letter from Richo | Across the bridge north of Osaka Kakurega |
| Yellow Origami Butterfly | Just north of the Osaka Gear Vendor |
| Purple Origami Butterfly | Southwest of Nishinomaru Garden |
| Secret Origami Letter from Mucho | Northwest of the Temple of Osaka |
| Red Origami Butterfly | Just north of the Temple of Osaka |
| Blue Origami Butterfly | Entering the Fishermen’s District, behind the puppeteer |
| Orange Origami Butterfly | On the riverbank in the eastern Fishermen’s District |
| Secret Origami Letter from Shucho | On the riverbank southeast of Osaka Kakurega |
| Pink Origami Butterfly | Next to the stable where you find the girl in “One That Got Away” quest |
The Green Origami Butterfly (1) is the easiest to find, located just northeast of the Kakurega in a garden. From there, head to the Secret Origami Letter From Richo (2), which is situated across the bridge north of the Kakurega. No matter which secret letter you collect first, it will activate The Butterfly Collector target board on your Objectives page, keeping track of clues about the four targets. The Yellow Origami Butterfly (3) is located just north of the Osaka Gear Vendor, while the Purple Origami Butterfly (4) can be found southwest of Nishinomaru Garden.
The next find is the Secret Origami Letter from Mucho (5), which is northwest of the Temple of Osaka. The Red Origami Butterfly (6) is slightly north of the Temple, and the Blue Origami Butterfly (7) can be found as you enter the Fishermen’s District – look for the puppeteer entertaining children nearby. In the eastern Fishermen’s District, the Orange Origami Butterfly (8) lies on the riverbank, and if you follow the river northward, you’ll come across the Secret Origami Letter from Shucho (9), which will unlock the “One That Got Away” quest. Complete this quest to ultimately find the last butterfly, the Pink Origami Butterfly (10).
All Butterfly Collector Target Locations
Where to Locate All Targets
The secret origami letters mentioned will guide you to the main clues for each target on The Butterfly Collector board: Richo, Shucho, Mucho, and Kacho, the leader. You can take out Shucho first, but be prepared for her to try and flee when you encounter her near the horse stables. If you miss her there, she’ll be on the run around the Fishermen’s District until you catch up.
Richo’s side quest, “All Will Be Well,” involves investigating a burned well in southern Osaka, which leads you to a bamboo grove in Nodo Village. Eliminate Richo and safely escort the child back home, then head to the Kojo Ruins for Mucho’s quest titled “Find the Child,” where you can take out Mucho. The boy accompanying her will guide you back to his father and provide further clues about the main Butterfly Collector target.
The final target is Kacho, located in the challenging area west of Osaka Castle, within the Nishinomaru Garden. Multiple quests provide clues to track Kacho, including “Chrysalis,” “Home and Dry” (completed after reuniting the boy with his father), “For the Sake of Sake,” “Forest Fugitive,” and “Paper Trail.” Ultimately, completing all minor objectives in these quests will lead you directly to Nishinomaru Garden, where you’ll confront Kacho.
Rewards for Completing The Butterfly Collector Quest in Assassin’s Creed Shadows
All Rewards for Completing the Quest
Each of the Butterfly Collector targets drops various Mon and common items, including unique weapons like the Ink Spiller Tanto (from Shucho) and the Dog-Ear Tanto (from Richo). Bringing the girl back to her mother rewards you with the Trinket/Amulet of Childlike Bravery. After eliminating all the Butterfly Collector targets, you can approach the Gamekeeper. It becomes clear to your protagonist, Naoe, that the Gamekeeper has ulterior motives. When you confront her, you’ll finally learn her real name and discover that she hired Naoe to eliminate the kidnapper, Kacho.
You face the decision to spare or eliminate her, unless you’re in canon mode in AC Shadows, where she will automatically be spared. The Gamekeeper provides the Ebisu’s Gamble common bow and the Rare Butterfly of Benevolence Trinket/Amulet, which enhances Naoe/Yasuka’s origami skills by 100%. Completing the Butterfly Collector target board also grants you 5,000 experience points. This board is one of the first complete boards you can finish in Assassin’s Creed Shadows, unlocking the Mortal Reminder trophy upon its completion.
