Prayer Beads are an upgrade material found in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. You'll want to collect as many of them as possible to increase your Vitality and Posture attributes. Once you've collected four, you'll be able to make them into a Prayer Necklace at a Sculptor's Idol.
Most Prayer Beads are dropped by mini-bosses in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice but some are found lying around while others are missable past certain points in the game. Read on to discover all of the Prayer Bead locations that we've uncovered so far.
Ashina Outskirts
Hirata Estate: Estate Path Dropped by the Shinobi Hunter mini-boss. Follow the path to a bridge where you'll find two enemies with shields. The Shinobi Hunter is just beyond.
Hirata Estate: Main Hall Dropped by Juzou the Drunkard mini-boss. Return to the bridge in the previous step and jump off, moving upriver until you see a branch you can grapple. You'll find this boss after you move through a pond near burning buildings.
HIrata Estate: Hirata Audience Chamber There is a hidden room in the building behind the previous mini-boss. Once inside, there is a wall with a banner on the left. Interact with it to reveal a hidden passage leading to the room containing the Prayer Bead.
Ashina Castle
Some of these become unavailable after defeating bosses later in the game so it's advisable to collect them as soon as you have access to this area.
Ashina Castle: Dropped by the General Kuranosuke Matsumoto mini-boss. Head up the stairs from the Idol to find him.
Ashina Castle: Ashina Reservoir Defeat the Ashina Seven Spears mini-boss to get this Prayer Bead. You can find him in front of the temple that you visited during the Prologue.
Ashina Castle: Abandoned Dungeon Entrance You can purchase this one from the merchant in the tent next to the Idol.
Upper Tower: Ashina Dojo Defeat the Ashina Elite—Jinsuke Saze mini-boss to claim the Prayer Bead.
Senpou Temple
Senpou Temple: Shugendo: Dropped by the Armored Warrior mini-boss. This one cannot be missed.
Senpou Temple: Temple Grounds: Defeat the Long-arm Centipede Sen’un to get this Prayer Bead. He's in the lower building to the right of the building with a courtyard. Drop down on to the roof and find the opening.
Sunken Valley
Sunken Valley: Dropped by the Snake Eyes Shirafuji mini-boss. Drop down the cliff next to the Idol, using the trees to help.
Sunken Valley : Gun Fort This one is dropped by the Long-arm Centipede Giraffe mini-boss.
Sunken Valley: Gun Fort After you've defeated the previous mini-boss, look for a hole in the floor and drop through it. Move through the crawl space until you come to a cavern and a group of enemies. The Prayer Bead will be here.
Ashina Depths
Ashina Depths: Dropped after you defeat the Snake Eyes Shirahagi mini-boss. He's found in the Poison Pool area.
Hidden Forest: Defeat the Tokujiro the Glutton mini-boss to claim this Prayer Bead. He's just off the main path. Look for a tree to grapple on the left when you reach ghostly enemies to find him.
Water Mill: Dropped by O’rin of the Water mini-boss. She's straight after the Idol here. Walk past her and she will turn hostile.
Mibu Village: There's a lake to the right of Mibu Village. Jump in and dive down to find a chest containing a Prayer Bead.
Fountainhead Palace
Fountainhead Palace: Flower Viewing Stage Run forward and turn left around the building to find the Sakura Bull. Defeat it for a Prayer Bead and A Beast's Karma, which lets you hold more Spirit Emblems.
Fountainhead Palace: Flower Viewing Stage Dive into the water to your right and swim as deep as you can go. You will find a treasure chest near the corpse of a great carp, surrounded by luminous maggots. Look out for the bad wizards. You can snatch the bead and run if you'd rather not fight them.
Fountainhead Palace: Great Sakura Defeat Okami Leader Shizu on the branch of the great Sakura tree.
We'll update the list as we find more.
In the meantime, if you're having problems getting to grips with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, check out our combat guide.
