By 2026, most Assassin’s Creed Shadows explorers have learned that not every hole in the ground is an early-game invitation. The Makino Kurumazuka Kofun is a fantastic reminder. Many players stumble across this tomb in Izumi Settsu while Naoe is still the star of the show. The entrance is blocked, two tempting exploding jars are sitting nearby, and yet the poor shinobi cannot pick them up. Is it a bug? Not at all. It is the game politely saying, “Come back when the big guy is unlocked.”
Once Yasuke is available as a playable character and players can swap freely, the Makino Kurumazuka Kofun becomes a surprisingly enjoyable test of explosives and heavy lifting. The reward is well worth the detour: one of the best Legendary Bows in the game, the Blush of the Earth.
Where Is the Makino Kurumazuka Kofun?
This underground puzzle is located in the Yawata Plains province of Izumi Settsu, the starting region of AC Shadows. The tomb looks like a large mound of earth directly east of Takatsuki, across the river that acts as the province border.
Why should anyone bother? Because the final chest contains the Blush of the Earth Legendary Bow, an Extend Clear Mind Engraving, a Knowledge Point, and 2000 XP. That is a rather generous pile of goodies for a tomb that mostly asks one question: can Yasuke lift it, move it, or blow it up? Usually, the answer is yes.
Opening the Front Door
At the top of the stairs, two exploding jars are waiting. Only Yasuke can pick them up, which is the first big hint that Naoe is not invited to this particular tomb. The player should place one jar in front of the makeshift rock wall, step back, and shoot it with one of Yasuke’s ranged options.
If Yasuke has no ranged weapon, the cheapest bow from the Gear Vendor in Sakai will do. There is no need to spend a fortune, because the Legendary Bow at the end makes that purchase irrelevant. Shooting the jar clears the rock wall and opens the way inside.
Inside the Kofun: The Explosive Detour
After entering, a chest is visible, alongside two openings blocked by large, movable shelves. Once again, only Yasuke can move these objects. Using Observation reveals the main reward is behind a barrier that is stuck in place, so there is only one true path forward.
The first real puzzle chamber has a movable barrier blocking the exit and a ruined staircase on the left. Two breakable walls are visible: one at the top of the stairs and one at ground level. The player should pull the barrier away from the exit and continue down the path.
Soon, another chamber appears with a breakable wall and two exploding jars. The trick is to use one jar to destroy the wall, which is actually the reverse side of the ground-level wall from the previous chamber. Then, carry the second jar through the opening back into the previous chamber.
Set the jar down in front of the wall at the top of the stairs. Then line up the movable barrier so Yasuke can stand on it from the upper level, giving enough distance to shoot the jar without turning himself into a firework. Head through the new opening. To the left is a dead end with a materials chest; to the right is the main path.
Pool, Broken Bridge, and Crates
After turning right, the path leads to a chamber with a pool of water in the center and a broken bridge overhead. There is nothing fancy here: swim across and continue through the opening. Up the stairs, the broken bridge reveals a rock wall across the gap.
Look around for a stack of wooden crates blocking a small alcove. Destroy the crates to find two exploding jars. Throw one jar across the gap, shoot it to destroy the wall, and jump across. After moving through the opening, there is a small gap to crawl under on the left. The right path is another dead end with an arrow station for refills, which is handy but not mandatory. Crawl under the gap to continue.
Next is a sunken chamber with a rope strung across. Naoe could cross it gracefully, but Yasuke is not Naoe. If Yasuke tries, the rope will snap and he will drop into the sunken chamber. That is not a failure; that is the route.
From the sunken chamber, pull the movable barrier away from the exit. Drag it back into the sunken chamber, then use it to climb to the upper level exit. Be sure to loot the chest behind the barrier before moving on.
The Final Barrier Puzzle
In the final chamber, things get slightly more elaborate. A small ramp sits left of the southern exit, blocked by a movable barrier with an overhang above. At the west end, another movable barrier rests in place. To the north, a staircase leads to a blocked exit with barriers stuck from the other side.
First, move the barrier away from the southern exit and go through the opening. Turn right and follow the path to reach the top of the northern stairs, which puts the player on the opposite side of those stuck barriers. Move the first barrier to the right, then the second, clearing the path. This chamber also contains one exploding jar, which should be remembered but not touched yet.
Return to the main chamber. Move the western barrier into place at the end of the ramp, where it fits a visible slot. Then move the barrier that was blocking the southern exit into the slot at the western end of the chamber.
Now retrieve the jar. Carry it up the ramp, jump onto the first barrier, then to the overhang, then to the western barrier. If everything is lined up, Yasuke can make all of these jumps while carrying the jar. From the top of the final barrier, a breakable wall is visible atop the western wall. Throw the jar up onto the wall and shoot it with the bow.
Jump across and head through the final exit to reach the Legendary Chest. After looting it, move the barrier blocking the exit and take the stairs back to the entrance chamber.
Final Rewards
| Reward | Type |
|---|---|
| Blush of the Earth | Legendary Bow |
| Extend Clear Mind | Engraving |
| Knowledge Point | x1 |
| XP | 2000 |
So, did Naoe really need to be left out of the entire tomb? Yes. The whole place is a heavy-lifting, jar-throwing, barrier-shoving workout designed specifically for the big man. Sneaky players may pout, but Yasuke earns that Legendary Bow the hard way.