As is usually the case with Ryu Ga Gotoku titles, Like a Dragon Ishin has a plethora of side content for you to lose yourself in. Some of the better content is tied to the game’s Bonds, wherein Sakamoto Ryoma grows closer to a variety of oddballs found throughout Kyo. There are a wide variety of these characters to track down though, and each one has different requirements for progressing their friendship storylines. That’s why we’ve compiled this guide on all the friendships in Like a Dragon Ishin to help you along.
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All Friendships & Bonds in Like a Dragon Ishin
There are a total of 44 Friendships in Like a Dragon Ishin for you to unlock and complete. 21 are friendships established with shop owners found throughout the game, while 23 are random characters Ryoma can encounter as he explores different areas.
Whereas the Shop Owners usually only need you to purchase items from them to progress their storylines, the strange folk scattered throughout the city may need you to complete specific tasks or bring them a certain item. The Hungry Sumo Wrestler, for example, will need you to bring him food to eat before matches, while the Mysterious Merchant will need you to bring him specific items he can sell to an unknown client.
We’ve listed each Friendship down below along with their location, unlock requirements, and how you can max out the Bond. Do note that some of these may not trigger until you progress the main story to a certain point, so don’t worry too much if you don’t find them right away. You can also check how many Friendships you’ve unlocked yourself by opening the main menu, selecting the Diligence Records tab, and then cycling over to the Friendships (Shops) and Friendships sections.
| Friendship | Location | How to Unlock | How to Max Out |
| Utamaruya Owner | Karaoke Bar in Fushimi | Perform karaoke at least once. | Perform karaoke at Utamaruya until the owner says to leave while he cleans for a bit. Once this occurs, leave for a bit and then return to save the Owner from some Ronin. |
| Umai Udon Owner | Umai Udon in Fushimi | Purchase a certain number of Udon dishes from the restaurant. | After buying enough food from him, you’ll unlock the shop’s minigame. Play the Minigame enough times and you’ll trigger the final scene that maxes out the Friendship. |
| Maijo-Sensei | Nichibuza | Complete the Nichibuza’s Newest Fan Substory and unlock the Nichibuza dance hall. | Perform at the Nichibuza Dance Hall until Maijo-Sensei says Ryoma is ready to perform in front of others. You then must earn a passing grade while performing to Fubuki Kouta on the Geisha difficulty. |
| Shinto Priest | Rakunai Shrine, in the upper left corner of Kyo | Purchase the Shinto Priest’s Exchange, Now Open! Virtue Reward from any large Shrine. | Purchase enough items from the Shinto Priest’s Exchange. |
| Akari | Rakunai Shrine, in the upper left corner of Kyo | Appears after progressing the main story. | Speak to Akari whenever you visit the Shrine. |
| Hanamaru Udon Employee | Hanamaru Udon in Rakunai | Buy enough Udon dishes from Hanamaru Udon. | Purchase all of the dishes from Hanamaru Udon at least once, and then leave after the Hanamaru Udon employee says he’d like to make something special for you. Return a little bit later, and he’ll open up a new menu item for you. This will complete the Bond. |
| Anna | The Yamabuki brothel in Gion | Visit Anna at the Brothel one time and complete all of the Courtesan minigames. | Visit Anna until the Bond is maxed out. She’ll then unlock the hardest difficulty level for the final Courtesan minigame as a reward. |
| Chicken Race Receptionist | The Chicken Racing Den in Rakugai | Bet on the Chicken Races at least once. | Visit the Chicken Racing den until the Chicken Racing Receptionist asks for you to bet on a race for him. Bet on Tosan Pride, and he’ll win the bet, maxing out the Bond. |
| Ichikura Owner | Ichikura General Goods in Fushimi | Purchase goods from the store at least once. | Purchase enough goods from him and you’ll trigger a scene of a loiterer making the owner uncomfortable. After this, return and buy something to trigger the next scene where the loiterer steals something. Chase him down, and you’ll max out the Friendship gauge once you return. |
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| Sushi Zanmai Chef | Sushi Zanmai in Rakunai | Eat at Sushi Zanmai at least once. | Continue to eat at Sushi Zanmai until the chef says to return later after they’ve prepared some Blue Fin Tuna dishes. leave and come back, and a scene will trigger that maxes out the Bond. |
| Fukufuku Pub Owner | Fukufuku Pub in Fushimi | Eat and Drink at the Pub at least once. | Eat and Drink at the Pub until Ryoma asks to have drinks with the Owner. A scene will play out, and you’ll then need to leave for a bit. Once you return, another scene will play out and you’ll need to sober up the Owner. Choose the “No, it’s fine.” and “Water would taste better.” dialogue options. He’ll then sober up, and you can return one more time for the final scene that maxes out the Friendship gauge. |
| Ecchudo Apothecary | Ecchudo Pharmacy in Rakunai | After purchasing enough medicine from the Apothecary, agree to help him test a new super medicine. | Continue to help the Apothecary test medicine until you find the one that works. |
| Sumire (Uji Tea Parlor Girl) | Uji Tea Parlor in Rakugai | Purchase a drink and food from Uji Tea Parlor at least once. | Continue to eat at the Uji Tea Parlor until Sumire opens up to Ryoma about her boyfriend. After he convinces her to dump him, leave and come back to stop him from attacking her. Once the fight is over, the Bond will be maxed out. |
| Don Quijote Employee | Don Quijote in Rakunai | Purchase items from Don Quijote at least once. | Purchase enough items from Don Quijote and a special scene will trigger. When this happens, you can find the items the woman needs outside and to the left of the shop entrance to max out the Friendship gauge. |
| Ebisu Pawnbroker | Ebisu Pawn Shop in Rakunai | Buy or sell items at the Pawn Shop at least once. | Buy or sell enough items and a special scene will trigger. Once it does, head toward Rakugai and you’ll encounter someone looking to sell some antiques. Point them toward Ebisu Pawn Shop, and then head back to talk with the Pawnbroker to complete his storyline and max out his Bond. |
| Kasuga Okami | Kasuga in Gion | Eat at Kasuga at least once. | Continue eating at Kasuga until a Ronin attampts to attack the Kasuga Okami. The Friendship Gauge will be maxed out after you complete the fight. |
| Kitchen Aoba Chef | Kitchen Aoba in Gion | Eat at Kitchen Aoba at least once. | Eat at Kitchen Aoba enough times to fill the Friendship Gauge. |
| Greengrocer | Greengrocer shop in Fushimi | Buy Produce from the Green Grocer at least once. | Purchase Produce from him until he asks for your help getting some Carrots, which you can grow at Ryoma’s Villa (unlocked in Chapter 4). Once you have 10 Carrots, return to him and the Bond will be maxed out. |
| Rakugai Arms Dealer | Rakugai Arms Dealer shop in Rakugai | Purchase a weapon from the Arms Dealer. | Purchase weapons from the arms dealer until the gauge is half-way full. Then, respond in the following ways to his questions: “Fight to have fun.”, “Fight to let live.”, “Honor and Chivalry.”. This will max out your Bond with him and unlock his secret stock. |
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| Palanquin Bearer | Any Palanquin point in any area | Use the Palanquin at least once. | Use the Palanquins until the Bearer talks to you about bandits ambushing the Palanquin bearers. use the Palanquin one more time, and then defeat the Bandits that ambush you to max out the Bond. |
| Momokawa Brothers | Shippoku Momokawa in Rakunai | Eat at Shippoku Momokawa at least once. | Eat at Shippoku Momokawa until you’re asked to judge the three brother’s food. Eat there one more time after agreeing to judge the contest, and then return to trigger a special scene. Respond however you’d like, and then the Friendship Gauge will be maxed out. |
| Servile Beggar | Mukurogai, southeast of the Rakugai entrance | Donate food to the Beggar at least once. | Continue to give the Beggar food until you convince him he has to try and make his life better. Then, head to the left side of the Scarecrow Chateau to speak with him and learn that you motivated him to turn his life around, maxing out the Bond. |
| Hungry Sumo Wrestler | Rakunai, on South Teramachi Street | Give food to the Sumo so he can win a match. | Continue to give food to the Sumo Wrestler. |
| Bond with Revolutionary Chef | Gion, near the Yamabuki Brothel | Give the Chef a home-cooked meal. | Continue making food for the chef until he creates the Revolutionary Croquettes. |
| Love-Starved Husband | Rakunai, down along the shore to the right of the bridge leading into Gion | Give him at least one meal you cooked yourself. | Continue to bring him meals you made yourself until Ryoma admits he’s been making them and doesn’t have a wife. |
| Sword Nut | Rakugai, in Sannocho | Bring him the sword he’s looking for (sword is unlocked by progressing the main story). | Continue to bring him the swords he asks for, either by buying them, making them, or unlocking them. |
| Battered Defender | At the entrance to the path leading from Fushimi to Rakugai | Help him after he’s attacked by Ronin harassing a woman. | Continue to treat him whenever he gets injured by giving him enough medicine to fill his health bar. Once you’ve brought his Friendship gauge to at least 50 percent, a scene will trigger and you’ll be able to max out the bond. |
| Amnesiac | Kiyomizu Temple Road | Help him after something knocks him unconscious. | Continue to check on him and treat him whenever he gets knocked out, giving him enough medicine to refill his health bar. After doing this enough times, Ryoma will encounter him before he’s knocked out and prevent it from ever happening again via a special scene. |
| Oblivious Woman | To the right of the Rakunai Palaquin Bearers | Give her at least one vegetable. | Keep giving her vegetables until her cat comes back with her purse. |
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| Veggie-Loving Boy | Along the lower road in Mibu | Give him at least one vegetable. | Keep giving him vegetables until he convinces his mom to try them. Bring her a Refreshing Vegetable Salad (recipe obtained by unlocking all cooking and farming-based Virtue Rewards) and then speak to the Veggie-loving boy one more time after she agrees to start cooking vegetables. |
| Desperate Fisherman | At the Harbor in Fushimi | Give him at least one fish you bought or caught yourself by fishing. | Continue to give him fish until Ryoma offers to teach him how to fish. The better the Fish you give him, the faster his Friendship gauge will fill up. |
| Injured Grandma | Rakunai, in the Shinmeicho section | Help her after she falls and injures herself. | Purchase the specific items she requests from the shops around Kyo. |
| Mysterious Merchant | The wooden shed to the west on the well at the Rakugai entrance | Speak to him once and bring him Tomatoes. | Continue to bring him the items he requests until he asks for Ginseng. Grow some on your farm at Ryoma’s Villa (only available after unlocking the Ginseng Green Thum Virtue Reward) and then bring it to him to complete the Bond. |
| Sexy Madam | In the main area of Gion, standing underneath a tree | Bring her the vegetable she requests | Continue to bring her the vegetables she requests. |
| Junk Boy | Fushimi, in Kuramachi | Give him any random item. | Continue to give him random items until he gets into a fight with his friend, and then help him make amends. |
| Trash Dealer | Mukurogai, to the left of the Rakugai entrance. | Give him any random item. | Continue to give him items until a special scene triggers. |
| Wood Cutter | Next to the Palanquin Carriers in Fushimi | Help him cut wood | Help him cut 300 logs in total, and then return to speak with him after he leaves to sell all of them. |
| Frequently Lost Courier | At the harbor in Fushimi, near the boat leading to Mukurogai | Deliver the package to the person he specifies. | Continue to deliver the packages he has to the people he specifies until his father recovers. |
| Patient Dog | Fushimi, in Yashikimachi | Give the Patient Dog food. | Continue to feed the dog until you learn his owner died. The dog will then become yours and live with you at Ryoma’s Villa. |
| Injured Dog | Mukurogai | Give the dog medicine for its injuries. | Continue to heal the dog’s injuries until you catch the people attacking it. The dog will then become yours and live with you at Ryoma’s Villa. |
| Barking Dog | Rakunai, in the Teramachi section | Give the dog a bone so that it will stop barking. | Continue to give the dog bones until it stops barking and the neighborhood woman loses her reason to kill it. The dog will then become yours and live with you at Ryoma’s Villa. |
| Hungry Cat | Feed the cat at least once. | Continue to give the cat better and better fish. All except the Tuna can be bought from shops in Kyo, and the Tuna can be caught off the East Coast. The cat will then become yours and live with you at Ryoma’s Villa. | |
| Filthy Cat | Give the cat a bath after it falls into the river. | Continue to clean the cat every time it falls into the harbor until it almost drowns and Ryoma has to save it. The cat will then become yours and live with you at Ryoma’s Villa. | |
| Lucky Cat | Give the cat money for a blessing. | Keep giving the cat money until it leads you to a pair of scheming bandits. Defeat them in a fight, and you’ll then be rewarded with several Ryo. The cat will then become yours and live with you at Ryoma’s Villa. | |
Hopefully this helps you track down and complete all the Friendships in Like a Dragon Ishin a little bit faster. For more on the game, check out our many related articles down below.
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