Guides / Yakuza: Like a Dragon
Chapter 1: Light and Shadow
Chapter 1: Light and Shadow serves as a linear tutorial prologue set in Kamurocho on New Year's Eve, 2000, following Ichiban Kasuga through his daily tasks for the Arakawa Family before taking the fall for a crime.
- Region
- Kamurocho, Tokyo (December 31, 2000)
- Levels
- Level 1
- Getting there
- Follows the historical prologue cutscenes set in 1971; exploration is cordoned strictly to relevant streets guiding between objectives.
- Related quests
- Chase and apprehend Ushio · Check in with Mama Michiyo in the Champion District · Clear the issue at Shangri-La (retrieve plunger) · Collect money at Public Park 3 · Meet Mitsu at Theater Square and report to the Arakawa Family Office · Walk with Patriarch Arakawa to Theater Square for Peking Duck · Return to the office, receive your orders, and eat a final meal at Akaushimaru
Services and people
Merchants 2
- Kotobuki Drugs · Pharmacy vendorNear Pink Street
- Cigarette Shop Owner · Elderly tobacco shopkeeperCigarette/Tobacco Shop on Nakamichi Street
Quest NPCs 8
- Masumi Arakawa · Patriarch of the Arakawa Family who asks Ichiban to take the blame for a murderArakawa Family Office
- Jo Sawashiro · Captain of the Arakawa Family who kills a Sakazuki memberArakawa Family Office
- Masato Arakawa · Patriarch's son escorted on an errand to buy a gift and visit a hostessPersonal apartment and Club Shangri-La
- Mitsuo Yasumura · Junior family member and kohai met during story errandsTenkaichi Street, Nakamichi Alley, and Public Park 3
- Takeo · Local homeless informantTenkaichi Street near initial fight scene
- Michiyo · Bar hostess and owner involved in a debt disputeMichiyo's Bar in Champion District
- Soapland Manager · Shangri-La staff member who sends Ichiban on an errand for a plungerOutside Club Shangri-La on Taihei Boulevard
- Yume · Masato's favorite hostessClub Shangri-La
Invaders and enemies 4
- Ushio · Street counterfeit tape dealer and introductory tutorial fight opponentNakamichi Alley area
- Punks in Nakamichi Alley · Tutorial combat enemies for SkillsNakamichi Alley
- Hiratsuka · Sakaki Family debt enforcer fought in a story battlePublic Park 3
- Suga · Chapter culminating boss leading three Sakaki Family henchmenOutside Arakawa Family Office
Services 3
- Akaushimaru · Beef bowl eatery serviceTenkaichi Street and Hotel District
- Club Shangri-La Taxi Stand · Fast-travel taxi serviceOutside Shangri-La on Taihei Boulevard
- Standard Kamurocho Taxis · Fast-travel taxi servicesShowa Street
The short version
What matters
- •Choosing whether to help or scold Mama Michiyo to deliberately gain either Kindness or Passion for Ichiban's Personality stats.
- •Learning core combat fundamentals including Perfect Guards, Skill MP management, and environmental attacks using street props.
Common mistakes
- •Spending time searching for keys to open high-tier safes in 2000 Kamurocho; neither silver nor gold keys can be obtained until you reach Yokohama later in the game.
- •Saving your starting money for future chapters; unbought consumables and prologue cash carry no impact on completion lists once Kasuga surrenders to the police.
What you can skip
- •Trying to unlock the silver and gold safes scattered across Kamurocho, as their keys are only available much later in Yokohama.
- •Stocking up on consumables or hoarding your starting funds, since this prologue zone is permanently left behind once you turn yourself in.
Walkthrough
The area in the order you play it. Tick things off as you go: they tick off in the checklists below too.
-
1
Apprehend Ushio in Kamurocho
After the 1971 prologue cutscenes conclude, you take control of Level 1 Ichiban Kasuga carrying starting funds on December 31, 2000. Pursue Ushio through the cordoned streets via a quick-time event chase until you corner him in an alleyway. Follow the prompts to master standard strikes, item commands, and Perfect Guards to overcome his low-damage offense.
Key fight: Street Thug UshioTip: Time your Perfect Guard right as Ushio attacks to minimize incoming damage.
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2
Visit Mama Michiyo and Inspect Shangri-La
Navigate the restricted Kamurocho pathways to Mama Michiyo's Snack Bar in the Champion District to check in on the bar owner. Choose whether to aid her or reprimand her after she falls to boost your preferred Personality stat, and note your phone auto-triggers the early Party Chat tutorial. Head over to Taihei Boulevard to inspect the plumbing problem inside Shangri-La.
Tip: Selecting "Help Out" raises your Kindness, whereas "Scold Sternly" grants Passion.
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3
Retrieve the Plunger on Nakamichi Street
Head into Nakamichi Alley, where a band of hostiles will confront you and temporarily disable regular strikes. Spend your MP on Ichiban's offensive combat Skills as directed to wipe out the squad, then proceed to the cigarette counter on Nakamichi Street. Speak directly with the cigarette shop clerk to obtain the plunger needed for Shangri-La's plumbing.
Key fight: Street PunksTip: Keep an eye out for silver and gold safes on these streets, but do not waste time attempting to open them since their keys are only obtained much later in Yokohama.
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4
Settle the Debt at Public Park 3
Bring your junior associate Mitsu along to Public Park 3 to collect overdue cash from a pack of unruly debtors. Engage the delinquents by mixing regular hits with combat Skills, taking advantage of interactive scenery like signs, traffic cones, and bicycles that Kasuga kicks automatically when attacking nearby. After subduing the crowd, regroup with your partner at the Tenkaichi Street Gate.
Key fight: Collection BrawlTip: Position Ichiban near street objects so his standard strikes automatically weaponize them for extra impact.
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5
Report to Patriarch Arakawa and Turn Yourself In
Regroup with Mitsu at Theater Square and report directly to the Arakawa Family Office. Accompany Patriarch Masumi Arakawa back out to Theater Square to buy Peking Duck at the Chinese Restaurant, then return to the office where you are ordered to take the blame for Captain Jo Sawashiro. Finish the chapter by dining on your final meal at Akaushimaru on Tenkaichi Street before heading to the police station.
Watch out: Turning yourself in ends the year 2000 prologue permanently, so do not hoard cash or stress over unbought consumables since they have no effect on completion lists.
Choices here
What you decide here and what it leads to.
Mama Michiyo's fall
Visiting Mama Michiyo's snack bar in the Champion District
- Help Out→ Ichiban gains Kindness personality points
- Scold Sternly→ Ichiban gains Passion personality points
Alters Ichiban's Personality stat growth
Checklists
Achievements here
Items
0/2
Secrets
0/3
Key fights
Enemies: Ushio
Threats: Attacks are slow and deal low damage while teaching guard mechanics
Tactics: Follow combat prompts to learn basic attacks, item usage, and Perfect Guard until his HP is depleted
Rewards: Basic EXP and tutorial clearance
Enemies: Group of street punks
Threats: Standard basic attacks are locked out during specific prompts
Tactics: Use Ichiban's offensive combat Skills using MP as prompted
Rewards: Basic battle EXP and yen drops
Enemies: Delinquents / Debtors
Tactics: Combine standard attacks and skills, utilizing interactive battlefield objects like bicycles, cones, or signs automatically by attacking near them
Rewards: Story progression to meet Patriarch Arakawa
Not listed for this area: enemies, shops and people.
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