Genma Notes are the one collectible in Onimusha: Way of the Sword that the game never marks on your map — and you need all 23 of them in a single save to unlock the Genma-ologist trophy. Because they sit inside chests that only appear when you use Oni Vision, most players walk straight past the majority of them on a first run. This guide lists every Genma Note in collection order, the exact region and landmark to search, and the two mechanics you must use to pull each one out of hiding, with the dates and sources behind every claim.
Quick answer: There are 23 Genma Notes in Onimusha: Way of the Sword (verified via PowerPyx, allthings.how and Mobalytics, 2026-10). Collecting all 23 unlocks the Genma-ologist trophy/achievement. They are the only collectibles not auto-marked on the map — each is inside a hidden chest you reveal with Oni Vision (the Oni Gauntlet glows when you are near one). 22 can be found before the point of no return at the final mission "The Clash At Rendaino"; #23 (Yoshitsune) only appears after you beat the final boss. Genma Notes carry over into New Game+, so you only ever have to do this once.
What are Genma Notes in Onimusha: Way of the Sword?
Genma Notes are lore documents — each one is a field report on a specific enemy or boss you fight across the campaign, from common Genma like Hitotsume Gasa up to Formidable Foes like Sasaki Ganryu and the final boss. As PowerPyx puts it, "Onimusha Way of the Sword contains 23 Genma Note locations. Finding all Genma Notes unlocks the Genma-ologist trophy & achievement" (PowerPyx, 2026-10).
The important part is mechanical, not narrative. Unlike shrines, side quests, or most treasure, Genma Notes do not produce a map marker. PowerPyx puts it plainly: "They are the only collectibles that won't be marked naturally on the map." That is exactly why the Genma-ologist trophy trips up completionists — you can finish the story at 100% of the marked content and still be missing a dozen notes.
Two things make them findable:
- The Oni Gauntlet glows when you walk near a hidden chest. This is your proximity cue — if the gauntlet lights up blue and there is no visible chest, a Genma Note is almost certainly buried nearby. For enemy-type notes, staying in the area a short while after that enemy's first fight prompts the gauntlet to react.
- Your Oni scan reveals the chest. Trigger Oni Vision in the spot the gauntlet reacted to (hold the Oni-scan buttons) and an Oni medallion appears; interact with it to break it open and expose the hidden chest, then open the chest to claim the note. Guides use "Oni Vision" and "Oni Power" interchangeably for this reveal (PowerPyx; allthings.how; Mobalytics, 2026-10).
A handful of notes also require Oni Power to open the revealed chest, and one (#6, Oboro Garasu) is reached with a wall run rather than a normal path, so keep both the Oni Gauntlet traversal and the reveal mechanics in mind as you sweep each region.
When should you collect Genma Notes?
Collect as you go, and keep a manual save before the final mission. Twenty-two of the 23 notes are available before the point of no return at the mission "The Clash At Rendaino." Once you cross that line, free-roam cleanup of the earlier regions is gated behind the ending.
The 23rd note, Genma Note #23 (Yoshitsune), only appears after you defeat the final boss, Minamoto no Yoshitsune — you reload your cleared save and backtrack to a well behind Rokudo-chinnoji Temple (PowerPyx, 2026-10). So the cleanest route is:
- Grab notes naturally while clearing each region on your first visit.
- Before "The Clash At Rendaino," keep a dedicated manual save and mop up any of the 22 you missed.
- Finish the game, reload, and collect #23 post-credits.
Because Genma Notes carry over into New Game+ (PowerPyx Trophy Guide; allthings.how, 2026-10), there is no need to re-collect them on a Carnage or second run — but you do have to collect all 23 within a single save to pop Genma-ologist. If you are chasing the Platinum, slot this alongside the rest of your collectible sweep.
All 23 Genma Notes locations (in order)
The notes below are listed in PowerPyx's collection order (fetched 2026-10), with the named enemy, the region, and the exact landmark. Every one is inside a chest revealed with Oni Vision unless noted otherwise. Spirit Mirrors are your fast-travel anchors, so each location is given relative to the nearest Spirit Mirror.
Kyoto
- #1 — Hitotsume Gasa: West of the Higashioji Street Spirit Mirror. Use Oni Power to reveal the chest.
- #2 — Kubi Akari: South of the Kamo River – East Spirit Mirror, revealed with Oni Power.
- #3 — Togemaru: In a courtyard west of Yorimasa's Monument.
- #4 — Kogai: Inside a house north of the Gojo Street – West Spirit Mirror.
- #12 — Dohatsu-ten: In the opening where you first fight Dohatsu-ten, east of the Gojo Street – East Spirit Mirror.
- #13 — Nue: In the arena where you fought your first Nue, north of the Nue Pond Spirit Mirror.
- #16 — Rasho-gan: In the courtyard next to the Higashioji Street Spirit Mirror where you fought Rasho-gan.
- #18 — Benkei: On the bridge in Kyoto where you first fought Benkei.
- #21 — Ifuu: In the opening where you first fight Ifuu.
- #22 — Burai: In the opening where you first fight Burai.
Underground Laboratory
- #5 — Kogashira: On Underground Level 3, near the Grand Theater Spirit Mirror.
- #8 — Chijiko: On Underground Level 2, revealed with Oni Power.
Mount Oe
- #6 — Oboro Garasu: In the Valley. Instead of crossing the bridge, head down and wall-run to the platform holding this note.
- #9 — Hirehime: Also in the Valley, on the lower level near the water.
- #19 — Shuten Doji: Outside the building you fought him in, east of the Mountain Trail Spirit Mirror.
Arashiyama
- #7 — Mohja: In the Temple area, south of the Mountain Trail, through the gate you open with explosives.
- #20 — Dokyo: Just past the Hozukyo Gorge, where you first fought Dokyo.
Kiyomizu-dera Temple
- #10 — Hitotsume Sho: In the dojo in the northmost part of the temple map.
- #11 — Byakue: On a rooftop just north of the Kiyomizu-zaka Slope Spirit Mirror.
- #17 — Sasaki Ganryu: In the Oni Refuge room where you fought Sasaki Ganryu.
Oni Refuge
- #14 — Daidara: In the courtyard north of the Shrine Grounds Spirit Mirror.
- #15 — Greater Nue: In the arena where you first fought the Greater Nue, north of the Oikeniwa Pond Garden Spirit Mirror.
Post-final-boss
- #23 — Yoshitsune: After defeating Minamoto no Yoshitsune, reload your save and return to the well behind Rokudo-chinnoji Temple. Use Oni Vision to reveal the spot, then Oni Power to open the chest.
A pattern worth noting: most Genma Notes sit in the exact arena where you fought the enemy or boss they describe. If you remember where a particular fight happened and the gauntlet glows there on a return visit, use Oni Vision — the note is almost always a few steps from the arena's center.
Genma Notes and the Genma-ologist trophy
Collecting all 23 Genma Notes unlocks Genma-ologist (PowerPyx; G2A collectibles checklist, 2026-10). It is one of the game's 52 trophies/achievements (IGN), and it is a single-save requirement: "to unlock the 'Genma-ologist' trophy, you must collect all 23 notes within a single save file" (onimushawayoftheswordgame.wiki).
If you are going for the full Platinum, Genma Notes are one of several collectible sets — alongside Lion Dogs, Power Stones, Oni Stones, Charms, and Oni Armaments — that a 100% checklist tracks (G2A lists 274 total collectibles across the game). The good news for completionists is the carry-over: because Genma Notes, Lion Dogs, Charms, Hozuki Pouches, and your skill upgrades all persist into New Game+ (PowerPyx Trophy Guide), you will not lose this progress if you jump into Carnage afterward.
Tips for finding every Genma Note fast
- Travel between every Spirit Mirror and watch the gauntlet. The gauntlet's glow is the single most reliable signal; sweep each region's Spirit Mirrors and look for it to light up with no chest in sight.
- Use Oni Vision liberally in boss arenas. The majority of notes are hidden in the room where you fought the matching enemy — revisit those arenas after the fight.
- Don't skip the wall run on #6. Oboro Garasu in Mount Oe's Valley is the one note that needs a traversal detour rather than a straight reveal.
- Keep a pre-final-mission manual save. You cannot free-roam the earlier regions after "The Clash At Rendaino," so a manual save is your safety net for the 22 story-region notes.
- Do #23 last, post-credits. It is literally unobtainable until the final boss is down, so don't waste time hunting the Rokudo-chinnoji well early.
FAQ
How many Genma Notes are there in Onimusha: Way of the Sword? There are 23 Genma Notes in total (PowerPyx, allthings.how, Mobalytics, 2026-10). Collecting all of them unlocks the Genma-ologist trophy/achievement.
How do I find Genma Notes if they aren't on the map? They are hidden inside chests that only appear when you use Oni Vision. The Oni Gauntlet glows when you are near a hidden chest — trigger Oni Vision in that spot (and Oni Power on some chests) to reveal and open it. Genma Notes are the only collectible not auto-marked on the map (PowerPyx).
Can I get all Genma Notes in one playthrough? Yes — and you must, because Genma-ologist requires all 23 in a single save file. 22 are available before the point of no return at "The Clash At Rendaino," and #23 unlocks after beating the final boss, Minamoto no Yoshitsune (PowerPyx, 2026-10).
Do Genma Notes carry over into New Game+? Yes. Genma Notes carry over into New Game+ (and Carnage), so once you have all 23 you do not need to collect them again on a second run (PowerPyx Trophy Guide; allthings.how, 2026-10).
What happens if I pass the point of no return without all Genma Notes? You can no longer free-roam the earlier regions to collect the 22 story-region notes, which is why keeping a manual save before "The Clash At Rendaino" is strongly recommended. Only #23 is designed to be collected after the ending.
Are Genma Notes the same as Mysteries of Kyoto or Lion Dogs? No — they are separate collectible sets. Genma Notes unlock Genma-ologist specifically; Lion Dogs, Power Stones, Oni Stones, and other collectibles are tracked separately on a full 100% checklist (G2A, 2026-10).
Keep exploring Onimusha: Way of the Sword
Hunting down all 23 Genma Notes pairs naturally with the rest of your completion run. If you are deep in the postgame, these guides cover the systems and fights that matter most:
- Platinum Trophy Guide — All 52 Trophies & 100% Completion
- New Game Plus — What Carries Over & How to Unlock Carnage
- All Bosses & How to Beat Them (Full Boss Order + Carnage Tips)
- How to Beat Yoshitsune, the Final Boss (All 3 Phases)
_Facts in this guide verified 2026-10-13 against PowerPyx's All Genma Notes Locations and Trophy Guide, allthings.how, Mobalytics, G2A's collectibles checklist, and IGN's trophy list. Named enemies and locations follow PowerPyx's in-game labels. Onimusha: Way of the Sword released September 4, 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC._
