"The Butterfly Collector" is the general name for a series of early-game side-quests in Assassin's Creed Shadows. What starts out as an innocent children's game, quickly unfolds into a city-wide conspiracy that Naoe and Yasuke must stop. Taking place in Izumi Settsu, "The Butterfly Collector" will be one of the first major side-quest chains you'll find in Assassin's Creed Shadows. In this guide, we'll show you where to find, and how to complete, every quest from The Butterfly Collector in Assassin's Creed Shadows.
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How to Start The Butterfly Collector in Assassin's Creed Shadows
Head to Katano:
"The Butterfly Collector" starts in Katano, just west of Katano Castle in Izumi Settsu. You'll find the NPC – a young woman who is eventually revealed to be called the Gamemaker – that offers the quest, standing directly next to the Ornament Vendor near the castle. There are no prerequisites for starting this quest. You should be able to approach the Gamemaker and begin the quest at any point in the game.
At first, the quest will be presented as a simple scavenger hunt for 10 Origami Butterflies in western Osaka. At the end of this first mission, things will open up considerably, and a "Butterfly Collector" wheel will be added to the Objectives board.
Where to Find All 10 Origami Butterflies – Assassin's Creed Shadows
You can collect the butterflies in any order you wish. You will still find all the important notes that you are supposed to, which lead to the larger conspiracy at work in western Osaka.
Origami Butterfly 1:
The first Origami Butterfly is found in the northeastern corner of the Temple of Osaka grounds. Like all others, it is stuck to a large tree.
Origmai Butterfly 2:
The second Origami Butterfly is located in a small, fenced yard across from the southwestern corner of the Temple of Osaka grounds. Look for a Torii gate that leads into a small fenced garden, with two trees in the rear corner. The butterfly is pinned to the tree on the right.
Origami Butterfly 3:
The third Origami Butterfly is located along the southern shore of western Osaka island. Walk east along the shore until you get just before the rounded southeastern corner of the island, and you'll find the butterfly on a tree tucked between two structures.
Origami Butterfly 4:
The fourth Origami Butterfly is located along the eastern shore of western Osaka island. If you draw a line directly east from the Temple of Osaka, you'll find the tree among tall weeds on the riverbank. This butterfly will contain the Secret Origami Letter From Shucho, which reveals that a child has escaped after being abducted. For now, continue looking for the butterflies.
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Origami Butterfly 5:
The fifth Origami Butterfly is across the eastern river and in the backyard of a home in the first neighborhood "square" on the eastern side of the river. You'll likely have to jump the fence into the backyard, but using Observation will reveal your exact destination. There is no message in this butterfly.
Origami Butterfly 6:
Origami Butterfly six is located west of the fifth butterfly. Simply head west back towards the river, then look for a tree in the tall grass on the north side of the central bridge. The butterfly is pinned high up on the trunk. Butterfly 6 contains the Secret Origami Letter from Richo.
Origami Butterfly 7:
The seventh Origami Butterfly is back across the river from the sixth. You'll find it pinned to a tree in front of a building just north of the Gear Vendor. There is no note with butterfly 7.
Origami Butterfly 8:
To find Origami Butterfly 8, head southwest from Butterfly 7 until you reach the shoreline. You'll find a butterfly pinned to a tree that is hidden among several bushes. Butterfly 8 contains the Secret Origami Message from Mucho.
Origami Butterfly 9:
The ninth Origami Butterfly is in the southwestern corner of western Osaka island, directly across the inlet from the Kata poi on the smaller western island. There is no note with butterfly 9.
Origami Butterfly 10:
We found the final Origami Butterfly at the very tip of the neighborhood on the eastern side of the river that separates western Osaka Island. There is no note with this final butterfly.
Targets Revealed & Return to Gamemaker:
After you've collected all ten Origami Butterflies, Naoe (or Yasuke) will comment that they should return to the Gamemaker to receive their prize. If you head back right away, you'll find that the Gamemaker has disappeared.
This is because, during the process of collecting the Origami Butterflies, a child kidnapping ring was uncovered. Each note that you found actually revealed a new target for Naoe or Yasuke to kill. That will take you to the second part of the quest chain.
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All Butterfly Collector Targets in Assassin's Creed Shadows
There are four Butterfly Collective targets in Assassin's Creed Shadows. Visit the Butterfly Collector wheel on the Objectives board to begin taking out each target.
Shucho – One That Got Away:
The first target is Shucho, and the small side quest associated with them is "One That Got Away." You'll find the missing child in a stable in the southwestern corner of western Osaka island. Speak with the child and send them on their way home.
Make sure to watch them as they run away, because they will run right past Shucho. Use Observation as you follow the child, and Shucho will be revealed. If you are quick, you can run right up to her and perform an assassination. That will be the end of Shucho. She provides the following rewards:
- Ink Spiller Uncommon Tanto
- Mastery Point x1
- 285 Mon
- 2000 XP
Mucho – Find the Child:
Mucho is currently in the act of trying to abduct a child, and you must stop her in the act. You'll find her just over the bridge that leads from the northwestern edge of western Osaka island, to the long peninsula north of it.
Kill Mucho, then speak with the child to ensure they are safe. This will actually quickly complete one of four side-quests leading to the leader of the kidnapping group, "For the Sake of Sake". After speaking to the child, follow him to his father. Naoe will reveal the plan she uncovered on one of the butterflies. This will complete "Home and Dry," and unlock the "Paper Trail" quest. Killing Mucho will earn you the following rewards:
- Hidden Pleat Rare Tanto
- Mastery Point x1
- 230 Mon
- 2000 XP
Richo – All Will be Well:
Finding Richo is a two-step process. First, you must locate the well from the note left in one of the butterflies. It is located at the northern end of the western Osaka island, among a large group of ruins. Locating the well will complete the "All Will be Well" side quest. At the well, you'll overhear a gardener say that a strange woman had been going back and forth into a bamboo grove. This will lead to the second task.
The bamboo grove where Richo is located is north of Osaka, northeast of Noda Village. There is a small cabin in the bamboo thicket, and Richo will be sitting out front of it. Approach slowly and assassinate her from behind. Once she is dead, open the door of the cabin and speak to the child inside. Follow her to her mother to finish her portion of the quest. For helping the child, you'll get a unique trinket/amulet for Naoe and Yasuke.
- The Dog-Ear Uncommon Tanto
- Trinket/Amulet of Childlike Bravery - reward from child.
- Mastery Point x1
- 290 Mon
- 2000 XP
Kacho – Butterfly Collector Leader:
After completing the previous targets, you should still have two sub-quests left before you can reveal Kacho's location. These are "Paper Trail" and "Chrysalis."
The first sub-quest will take you to the Paper Merchant just north of the Temple of Osaka. The second will take you to an empty warehouse where you find letters that reveal Kacho's location. She is found to the west of Osaka Castle, at Nishinomaru Garden. This is a restricted area, so be careful as you approach.
You cannot assassinate Kacho. Once you get close to her, a cutscene will begin playing. At the end, you'll have a quick boss fight. Kacho reveals some interesting information as she is lying on the ground, meaning her death is not quite the end. Return to the Gamemaker once the fight is over.
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Should You Spare or Kill the Gamemaker in Assassin's Creed Shadows?
When you return to the Gamemaker, you'll have a brief conversation in which it is revealed that she was a victim of Kacho, but she also helped her. You'll have to decide whether you want to forgive her, or kill her.
Looking at it from a rewards perspective, you should absolutely spare her. There is a second Trinket/Amulet that you can acquire that has a unique engraving (that we are still trying to figure out). You have nothing to gain by killing the Gamemaker, as there are no added benefits to taking that course of action. If you decide to spare her, you'll receive the following rewards:
- Butterfly of Benevolence Rare Trinket/Amulet (only if spare, the rest are earned either way)
- Ebisu's Gamble Rare Bow
- 225 Mon
- 5000 XP
Assassin's Creed Shadows
- Released
- March 20, 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Language
- Developer(s)
- Ubisoft Quebec
- Publisher(s)
- Ubisoft
- Engine
- AnvilNext
- Franchise
- Assassin's Creed
- Number of Players
- 1
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
