Exploring the rolling hills and harsh mountains of Izumi Settsu, you’re likely to have stumbled upon Assassin’s Creed Shadows‘ Makino Kurumazuka Kofun. If you’ve completed the other kofun in the region, then you’ll know that legendary gear and knowledge await you. But you can’t seem to get inside thanks to the pile of rocks blocking the entrance at the bottom of the stairs.

Well, don’t spend a good ten minutes trying to figure out how to get inside only to find out that you couldn’t like I did. Below I’ll go over how you can enter this kofun so you don’t waste your time too. And if you don’t know what I’m talking about, you can find Makino Kurumazuka Kofun in the Yawata Plains of Izumi Settsu, east of Tatatsuki.

How to enter Makino Kurumazuka Kofun in Assassin’s Creed Shadows

You need to have unlocked Yasuke in Assassin’s Creed Shadows before you can enter the Makino Kurumazuka kofun. Why? Because only this hulking samurai is capable of carrying the explosive jars required to blow open the rock wall blocking your path.

At the top of the short staircase leading down into the kofun, you’ll find a few explosive barrels lying around. Now, if you’re playing as Naoe like I was when I discovered this kofun, then you can’t interact with these jars. In previous games, you could just pick them up and throw them wherever you wanted. This time around only Yasuke can perform this supposedly Herculean feat.

Pick up one of the explosive jars and carry it down the stairs. Then, use any attack to blow up the jar and break the rocks. Obviously, this is best done with one of Yasuke’s ranged weapons, and you’ll find arrows and teppo shots on the surface too. You can also use Naoe’s kunai or even just whack the jars with your sword, shaking off the inevitable damage.

After you’ve blown your way in, you’re free to explore and complete the kofun just like any other, earning the valuable knowledge points you’ll need to get higher-level skills.