Yotei Six are the main game villains and the backbone of Atsu’s revenge story after her family was killed by them. Every duel you take on with them has a personal angle other than story progression, but because Ghost of Yotei’s map opens up so fast, it’s easy to feel lost about who to go after first. The truth is, you can chase them in whatever order you like, but some fights flow more naturally early on, while others are better saved for later.
You’ll hear some say “just follow the wind,” and that’s not wrong; the game is built to support a non-linear journey. But Ghost of Yotei rewards you for being strategic. Some Yotei Six fights give you access to new weapons or abilities that make the next battles easier. Further, some characters you meet along the way (and the regions they control) help Atsu to look more prepared instead of overwhelmed. So, here’s the best order to go after and fight the Yotei Six and why it makes sense for both gameplay and story.
This article contains some spoilers for Ghost of Yotei.
Start With Oni in Ishikari Plain
The Oni is the closest member of the Yotei Six to your starting area in the Grasslands, which makes him the first step. He’s brutal, but the Ishikari region has many reasons to head there early. Here, you’ll meet the Yari Master, who unlocks spear techniques. A Storyteller in the area offers the Tale of the Undying Samurai, and rewards you with the best set of early armor.
The fight here sets the tone: tough, but manageable once you’ve learned the basics of dueling. Going after Oni first also pushes the story forward in a sensible way; you strike close to home against someone directly connected to Atsu’s past.
Move North to Kitsune in Teshio Ridge
After dealing with Oni, we recommend heading north into Teshio Ridge to track the Kitsune. Kitsune fights differently, relying on cunning and deception, which forces you to start using more of Atsu’s stealth tools and awareness skills. Teshio Ridge also presents the cold, harsh environments of Ezo. This is where the game begins to test how well Atsu adapts to tough terrain, big patrols, and enemies with nasty tricks. Taking down Kitsune early gives you the confidence to handle the more chaotic encounters later.
Deal with the Saito Brothers Mid-Game
Things will become hard the time you move on to hunt down the Saito Brothers, as the duo is the dangerous of the Yotei Six, and it makes sense to defeat them once you’ve got stronger weapons and charms under your belt. Spider weaves traps and forces you to stay sharp on positioning. Killing first gives you breathing room against his brother. Dragon is the heavy hitter of the two and a natural escalation after Spider. By now, you’ll have multiple fighting stances and gear upgrades to match his brute strength.
This pair is best fought back-to-back in the mid-game. You’ll feel the difficulty spike, but it’s also the point where Atsu’s skillset should be wide enough to handle them. The order is flexible. If you’d rather wander and stumble into fights as you explore, you can. The game also lets you interrogate captured enemies to reveal leads, so you’ll always have breadcrumbs to point you forward.
Does it Matter in Which You Play Ghost of Yotei?
Story-wise, not really. No matter which path you take, Atsu’s mission to wipe out the Yotei Six is the main part of the game, and the big narrative beats eventually catch up to you. The game is designed so you can chase whichever lead grabs your attention, and it won’t lock you out of key story events.
But from a gameplay standpoint, the order definitely changes the events of your journey. If you charge straight at one of the more brutal members of the Six too early, you’ll probably spend the fight banging your head against the wall — not because you lack skill, but because Atsu won’t have the strength and armor yet to keep up. So while the game doesn’t force an order, there’s a real rhythm to tackling them in a certain sequence. It’s less about “right or wrong” and more about giving yourself a satisfying progression curve.
