As is the case with all the Yakuza games, Like a Dragon Ishin is filled to the brim with humorous and heartfelt side quests that can add hours of optional fun to your playtime. Whether you want to help hapless writer regain their creative spirit or join an elite team of speedy posties, the Like a Dragon Ishin substories have you covered?
Fans of 2020’s Yakuza: Like a Dragon may be surprised to find that map will not show you the locations of each quest until you find it yourself. In Ishin, quest markers won’t appear unless you interact with the person, creature or deity looking to offload some emotional baggage first. The substories are hidden carefully across Kyo’s many bustling suburbs, with each mission boasting a series of criteria you’ll need to complete before unlocking them.
Like A Dragon Ishin Substories
The Like A Dragon Ishin Substories are:
Fushimi Substories
- Death of the Author
- Precious Packages (currently bugged)
- A Clean Streak
- A Man and His Sack
- All in the Hips
- Invasion of the Black Ship?
- It’s a Long Story
- It’s a Long Story: The Final Chapter
- It’s a Long Story: Epilogue
- Scented Water
- Ee Ja Nai Ka
- The Way of the Sammerai
- Last Stand of the Panthers
- The Desperate Fisherman
- The Junk Boy
- The Wood Cutter
- The Frequently Lost Courier
- The Patient Dog
- The Filthy Cat
- The Captain and the Curious
- Diplomacy in Darkness (currently bugged)
Rakugai Substories
- The Reclusive Son
- Palanquin Paladin
- Can I Quote You on That?
- Sonno Joui
- Ee Ja Not Kai
- Bluffin’ Up the Wrong Alley
- The Panther’s Playmaker
- The Sword Nut
- The Battered Defender
- The Mysterious Merchant
- The Hungry Cat
- The Spitfire Town Protector
Rakunai substories
- Nichibuza’s Newest Fan
- Deceitful Deity
- Who’s Entertaining Who
- I’ll Miss You, Miho
- Global Fraud
- Talkin’ Tosa
- The Mochi Mystery
- Ee Ja Nai for Justice
- The Unwilling Courier
- Enter the Black Panther Couriers
- The Black Panthers’ Leading Man
- The Hungry Sumo Wrestler
- The Love-Starved Husband
- The Oblivious Husband
- The Injured Grandma
- The Barking Dog
- The Lucky Cat
- The Spitfire Debt Collector
- The Spitfire Lie Detector
Gion substories
- Finders Weepers
- Soft and Supple
- The Revolutionary Chef
- The Sexy Madam
Mukurogai substories
- The Bad Side of Town
- Brawler for Hire
- Brawler Incarnate
- Brawler Enlightened
- Fallen Warriors Ghost
- The Servile Beggar
- The Trash Dealer
- The Injured Dog
Miscellaneous substories
- It’s What’s on the Inside
- Hope Blossoms Again
- A Warlord’s Ambition
- A Boy Who Cried Bear
- Mama Ryoma
- The Amnesiac
- The Boy Who Loves Veggies
It’s worth bearing in mind that your position in the main story, and your progress on other, connected side missions can affect what substory interactions are available to you. Don’t lose hope if some are missing, as sometimes you’ll just need to progress with the rest of the game to unlock more.
Ishin’s NPCs are knotted threads that need some time to unpick. Once unravelled through, the payoff is often meaningful, even though the journey can be full of hassle.
That’s all the Like a Dragon: Ishin substories you can find hidden throughout Kyo’s interconnected maze of suburbs. If you manage to miss any though, don’t fret; the post-credits game mode Bakumatsu Premium Adventure opens the world up for you to explore and wrap up anything you missed during the campaign, allowing you to work through any remaining substories at your own pace. For more on Like a Dragon: Ishin, check out our Like a Dragon: Ishin chapters guide to get the lowdown on how long it takes to reach the game’s climax, as well as our Like A Dragon Ishin Another Life explained guide for all the details on how to find and excel in Ishin’s major farming side story.