Sekiro guide: Every Prayer Bead location (2024)

Throughout the world of Sekiro, you’ll find 40 Prayer Beads. Most of them are rewards for defeating bosses, but there are also several scattered around the world — and that latter group is really easy to miss.

For every four Prayer Beads you find, you can make a Prayer Necklace that increases your Vitality and Posture. This guide is will help you collect all 40. We’ve broken them down by area, early versus late game, and bosses versus found Prayer Beads below.

Ashina Outskirts Prayer Beads

Early game

These first five Prayer Beads are available on your first visit to the Ashina Outskirts. Four are rewards for boss fights, and one is sitting in the world.

Boss Prayer Beads

• Defeat General Naomori Kawarada (Ashina Outskirts > Outskirts Wall – Gate Path Sculptor’s Idol).
• Defeat Chained Ogre (Ashina Outskirts > Outskirts Wall – Stairway Sculptor’s Idol).
• Defeat General Tenzen Yamauchi (Ashina Outskirts > Outskirts Wall - Stairway) Sculptor’s Idol.
• Defeat Blazing Bull (Ashina Outskirts > Outskirts Wall - Gate Path).

Found Prayer Bead

After you defeat Gyoubu Oniwa (the horse boss), you’ll be able to find one more Prayer Bead.

1. Climb the stairs on the right side of the arena where you fought Gyoubu Oniwa.
2. Head into the building where you speak to Tengu of Ashina — the guy that asks you to hunt “rats” for him.
3. Climb the stairs on the left.
4. Follow the balcony around to the right, and climb the wall.
5. Grapple up to the rafters above you.
6. Follow the rafters around to the left until you get to the middle of the room.
7. Jump and climb up onto the broken rafter.
8. Open the chest at the top to claim your Prayer Bead.

Late game

Much later in the game, after you defeat the Divine Dragon, there’s one more Prayer Bead to collect.

• Defeat Shigekichi of the Red Guard (Ashina Outskirts > Under-Bridge Valley Sculptor’s Idol). This fight is very similar to (basically a reskin of) Juzou the Drunkard.

Hirata Estate Prayer Beads

There are three Prayer Beads in Hirata Estate. Two come from bosses, and one is in a hidden room.

Boss Prayer Beads

• Defeat Shinobi Hunter Enshin of Misen (Hirata Estate > Estate Path Sculptor’s Idol).
• Defeat Juzou the Drunkard (Hirata Estate > Main Hall Sculptor’s Idol).

Found Prayer Beads

1. Start at the Hirata Estate > Hirata Audience Chamber Sculptor’s Idol — the idol right before you fight Lady Butterfly.
2. Turn around, and head back down the hallway toward where you fought Juzou the Drunkard.
3. If you haven’t yet, smash through the paper walls blocking the hallway. Handle the two guards patrolling on the other side.
4. Turn right and head to the end of the hall.
5. Look for the tapestry hanging on the wall. Hug the wall right over the tapestry to find a secret door.
6. Collect the items in the first room, then head to the left.
7. Smash your way through the screens to find a chest containing the Prayer Bead.

Hirata Estate Prayer Beads – Purification Ending (Father’s Bell Charm)

There are two more Prayer Beads in Hirata Estate, but you can only find them if you follow the Purification ending (at least far enough to receive the Father’s Bell Charm). They’re both rewards for defeating bosses.

• Defeat Lone Shadow Masanaga the Spear-Bearer (Hirata Estate > Bamboo Thicket Slope Sculptor’s Idol).
• Defeat Juzou the Drunkard (again) (Hirata Estate > Main Hall Sculptor’s Idol).

Ashina Castle Prayer Beads

Early game

Boss Prayer Beads

• Defeat General Kuranosuke Matsumoto (Ashina Castle > Ashina Castle Sculptor’s Idol). General Matsumoto is the mini-boss at the top of the stairs right after the Ashina Castle Sculptor’s Idol.
• Defeat Ashina Elite – Jinsuke Saze (Ashina Castle > Upper Tower – Ashina Dojo Sculptor’s Idol).
• Defeat Lone Shadow Longswordsman (Ashina Castle > Ashina Reservoir Sculptor’s Idol).
• Defeat Seven Ashina Spears – Shikibu Toshikatsu Yamauchi (Ashina Castle > Ashina Reservoir Sculptor’s Idol).

Merchant Prayer Bead

• Dungeon Memorial Mob (Ashina Castle > Abandoned Dungeon Entrance Sculptor’s Idol). This Prayer Bead will cost you 1,400 sen.

Found Prayer Bead

1. From the Ashina Castle > Upper Tower – Antechamber Sculptor’s Idol, head up the stairs and handle the samurai patrolling behind the screens.
2. Continue into the main room (where you drop through to find the Sabimaru). Handle all the enemies there, then loop around to the right.
3. Take out the two samurai in the room, then head to the far end of the room.
4. Look for the two suits of armor, then hug the wall between them — there’s another wall scroll to mark the location.
5. Through the hidden door, the Prayer Bead is in the chest right ahead of you.

Mid game

After traveling to Mibu Village and defeating the Corrupted Monk there, three more Prayer Beads will be available in Ashina Castle. All three are rewards for defeating bosses.

• Defeat Lone Shadow Masanaga the Spear-Bearer (Ashina Castle > Great Serpent Shrine Sculptor’s Idol).
• Defeat Lone Shadow Vilehand (Ashina Castle > Upper Tower – Ashina Dojo Sculptor’s Idol).
• Defeat Chained Ogre (Ashina Castle > Upper Tower – Antechamber Sculptor’s Idol). This rematch against the (a?) Chained Ogre is down below the antechamber — where you picked up the Sabimaru.

Late game

You’ll find two more Prayer Beads late in the game, after you return from the Fountainhead Palace.

• Defeat Seven Ashina Spears — Shume Masaji Oniwa (Ashina Castle > Ashina Reservoir Sculptor’s Idol).
• Defeat Ashina Elite - Ujinari Mizou (Ashina Castle > Upper Tower – Kuro’s Room Sculptor’s Idol). You’ll find this mini-boss in the dojo underneath Lord Isshin’s room.

Senpou Temple, Mt. Kongo Prayer Beads

Boss Prayer Beads

• Defeat the Armored Warrior (Senpou Temple, Mt. Kongo > Shugendo Sculptor’s Idol).
• Defeat Long-arm Centipede Sen’un (Senpou Temple, Mt. Kongo > Temple Grounds Sculptor’s Idol).

Found Prayer Beads

For this Prayer Bead, you’ll need to have defeated the Corrupted Monk in Mibu Village — you need the Mibu Breathing Technique.

1. From the Senpou Temple, Mt. Kongo > Temple Grounds Sculptor’s Idol jump down to the roof ahead of you.
2. Jump from the roof into the pond below you — there are (or were) two Treasure Carp here.
3. Swim down, then turn to the right.
4. Head into the large cave, then collect your Prayer Bead from the statue.

Sunken Valley Prayer Beads

Boss Prayer Beads

• Defeat Snake Eyes Shirafuji (Sunken Valley > Sunken Valley Sculptor’s Idol).
• Defeat Long-arm Centipede Giraffe (Sunken Valley > Gun Fort Sculptor’s Idol).

Found Prayer Bead 1

1. From the Sunken Valley > Under-Shrine Valley Sculptor’s Idol, turn around and head back the way you came.
2. Look for a cliff ahead of you. Grapple over to it, then kill the two gunmen.
3. Jump the small gap, then climb the wall on your left.
4. Follow the ledge to the right. Climb another wall on your left, then shimmy along the wall when the ledge gets narrow.
5. Drop down into the field with stone monuments below you, but watch out for one more gunman on your right.
6. The Prayer Bead is the first item you’ll see.

Found Prayer Bead 2

1. In the room where you fight Long-arm Centipede Giraffe, face the statue.
2. Drop through the hole in the floor on your left, then continue along the narrow tunnel to the left.
3. When you reach the chasm, look up for a grapple point.
4. Grapple to the ledge on your right, and continue across it.
5. Look below you on the left for the next two grapple points.
6. Drop down into the open area to find the Prayer Bead — just watch out for the centipedes and lizards on the walls around you.

Ashina Depths Prayer Beads

Boss Prayer Beads

• Defeat Snake Eyes Shirahagi (Ashina Depths > Poison Pool Sculptor’s Idol).
• Defeat Guardian Ape and Brown Ape for two (Ashina Depths > Poison Pool Sculptor’s Idol).
• Defeat Tokujiro the Glutton (Ashina Depths > Hidden Forest Sculptor’s Idol).
• Defeat O’Rin of the Water (Ashina Depths > Water Mill Sculptor’s Idol).

Found Prayer Bead 1

1. The tunnel behind Snake Eyes Shirahagi leads down to the Guardian Ape and Brown Ape fight.
2. About halfway down — right where you speak to the dying guard — look up above him.
3. Grapple up, then follow the tunnel.
4. When you come to a low rock that you have to duck under, stop. Stand up before you duck under the second rock and look above you on your left.
5. Climb the short ledge, then wall jump to the top.
6. Grapple up to the top of the statue’s head to find the Prayer Bead.

Found Prayer Bead 2

1. After you defeat O’Rin of the Water, continue to the other side of her area, then cross the bridge.
2. Handle the ghostly samurai, then continue up the hill.
3. Take out all the villagers around the house, then duck under the porch to the right of the stairs.
4. Head to the left side of the house, then use the rotating door to get inside.
5. Go back to the right, through the house, and go back outside.
6. Turn around and look up to the second floor for a grapple point.
7. Grapple up to grab a Prayer Bead and a bunch of Spirit Emblems.

Found Prayer Bead 3

For this final Prayer Bead in the Ashina Depths, you’ll need to have defeated the Corrupted Monk in Mibu Village — you need the Mibu Breathing Technique.

1. From the Ashina Depths > Mibu Village Sculptor’s Idol, turn around and head back toward the village.
2. Instead of crossing the bridge, jump over the rock on the left.
3. Run past the chickens, then continue along the bank.
4. Where the boats are moored, dive into the water and swim down.
5. Open the chest at the bottom of the pond for the Prayer Bead.

Fountainhead Palace Prayer Beads

Boss Prayer Beads

• Defeat Sakura Bull of the Palace
• Defeat Okami Leader Shizu

Found Prayer Bead

1. From the Fountainhead Palace > Great Sakura Sculptor’s Idol — where you fight Okami Leader Shizu — jump down into the lake below.
2. Head forward and down into the very deepest part of the lake.
3. There’s a Headless down here, but you don’t have to defeat him if you don’t want to.
4. Look for the giant skeleton covered in glowing worms on your right.
5. The Prayer Bead is in a chest just to the right of the skeleton.