Ever get the “Shrine of Light nearby” ping at the foot of the Great Plateau and never find a door? You’re not imagining it. Kyokugon Shrine is sealed inside a cave under the plateau, and you have to smash your way in before the actual puzzle even starts.
Here’s how to reach it, how to clear the cave, and exactly where every orb goes in Alignment of the Circles. The short version: the answer is painted on the ceiling.
Kyokugon Shrine Location
Kyokugon sits at the back of the Great Plateau Foothill Cave in the Hyrule Field region of the surface. The cave mouth is at the base of the plateau’s cliffs, a short glide south of the Hyrule Field Skyview Tower. Open our TOTK interactive map if you want to pin it before you head out.
- Shrine: Kyokugon Shrine, Alignment of the Circles.
- Region: Hyrule Field (Surface), at the foot of the Great Plateau.
- Cave: Great Plateau Foothill Cave.
- Cave entrance: roughly (-0833, -1488, 0027). Guides differ by a few units, so treat it as “within a few steps”.
- Nearest fast travel: Hyrule Field Skyview Tower.
- Enemies: two Black Horriblins inside the cave.
Part 1: Breaking Into the Cave
The cave is basically a demolition job. There are three kinds of sediment wall in here, and each one reacts differently to what you hit it with.
| Wall | Where | Best tool | Behind it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red sediment | Cave entrance | Bomb Flowers, any rock hammer | The cave itself (required) |
| Blue sediment | Side chamber off the main cavern | Blunt weapons or Yunobo (bombs do not work) | Bubbulfrog (optional) |
| Black sediment | End of the main path | Heavy blunt weapons or Yunobo | Kyokugon Shrine (required) |
Step 1: Fast travel to the Hyrule Field Skyview Tower and head south to the cliffs at the base of the plateau. Look for the cave mouth plugged with red rock.
Step 2: Blow the red sediment open with Bomb Flowers, or batter it with a rock fused to a weapon. Yunobo’s charge also works if you have him.
Step 3: Deal with the Horriblins. Two Black Horriblins hang from the ceiling, and one of them carries a Rock Sledge. Shoot them down with arrows before you start digging so they can’t interrupt you. (Pro tip: that Rock Sledge is a decent wall breaker once it drops.)
Step 4: Break the blue sediment for the Bubbulfrog. Bombs bounce off blue rock, so swing a hammer or send Yunobo in. The frog drops a Bubbul Gem, which you can trade with Koltin for rewards.
Step 5: Smash the black sediment at the end of the path. It’s the toughest wall here, so bring a couple of spare rock hammers. Kyokugon Shrine is right behind it.
Oh, and pack some Brightbloom Seeds or a light source if the cave feels too dark. If fusing rocks to weapons is new to you, our Fuse guide covers the basics.
Part 2: Solving Alignment of the Circles
Inside, the main chamber has several levels with ten round slots in the floor and four orbs waiting near the bottom of the two staircases. Four orbs, ten slots: you obviously can’t fill them all, so which four?
Look up. The ceiling has green circles on it, and each one sits directly above a slot. When you drop an orb in a correct slot, a matching green circle lights up. Fill the four slots under the ceiling circles and the gate to the altar opens.
Where Each Orb Goes
Step 1: Grab the first two orbs and carry them up the staircase on the right.
Step 2: Drop one orb in the slot directly to your right at the top of the stairs.
Step 3: Carry the second orb back down and place it in the slot closest to the stairs.
Step 4: Cross to the left staircase for the other two orbs. Put one in the lower slot at the far left edge of the room, left of the stairs.
Step 5: Carry the last orb to the highest point of the left structure and drop it in the slot up there. The gate opens.
Ball rolled off a ledge? No stress. Nothing here is permanent, so just pick it back up and try again. Nailed it? Head through the gate.
The Hidden Chest
The ceiling has one more green circle past the gate, but no slot under it. That’s the trick. Use Ultrahand on the floor below that circle to lift out a loose tile and reveal a hidden slot. Grab the extra orb nearby on the right, drop it in, and a gate opens to a chest with a Hearty Elixir inside.
Then walk to the altar and claim your Light of Blessing. Kyokugon’s Depths counterpart is the Nogukoyk Lightroot, the shrine’s name spelled backwards. The shrine now works as a fast travel point.
Kyokugon Shrine Rewards
| Reward | Where | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Light of Blessing | Altar | Four of them buy a Heart Container or Stamina Vessel at a Goddess Statue |
| Hearty Elixir | Hidden chest (floor tile slot) | Full heal plus temporary bonus hearts |
| Bubbul Gem | Bubbulfrog behind the blue wall | Trade with Koltin |
| Fast travel point | Shrine entrance | Quick access to the plateau foothills |
Pro Tips
- Fuse before you go: stick rocks on a few spare weapons. The black wall eats durability fast.
- Arrows first: ceiling Horriblins are miserable to fight in melee. Knock them down from range.
- Read the room: if you’re lost in the puzzle, stand in the middle and look straight up. The circles tell you everything.
- Leave by the roof: once you’re done, Ascend from inside the cave is a quick way back up toward the plateau.
Kyokugon Shrine FAQ
Where is Kyokugon Shrine in Tears of the Kingdom?
It is at the back of the Great Plateau Foothill Cave in Hyrule Field, at the base of the Great Plateau, south of the Hyrule Field Skyview Tower. The cave entrance is around (-0833, -1488, 0027).
How do you solve Alignment of the Circles?
Place the four orbs in the floor slots that sit directly below the green circles on the ceiling. Each correct orb lights up a circle, and four of them open the gate to the altar.
How do you get the chest in Kyokugon Shrine?
Past the gate, use Ultrahand to lift the loose floor tile under the last ceiling circle, then place the extra orb in the hidden slot. The chest holds a Hearty Elixir.
How do you break the black rock to reach the shrine?
Use heavy blunt weapons, rock fused weapons or Yunobo’s ability. It is the densest wall in the cave, so bring a couple of spare hammers.
Your call: clear the Bubbulfrog on the way in or come back later, but grab that hidden chest while you’re here. It’s an easy Hearty Elixir, and the ceiling trick is one you’ll see again in other shrines. Happy digging, you’re winning!
