Main Story Guide
Follow the main story from your first days in Kagatsu Village through all eight Rules, the Three Sacred Treasures arc, the finale and both endings - with progression requirements, required tools and minimal-spoiler guidance.
8
Rules
3
Sacred Treasure Routes
2
Ending Choices
Next Step
Progression & Prerequisite Guide
Village in the Shade does not use a traditional fixed quest-log structure for its main story. Progression is organized around the village's eight Rules, seasonal story events and several system unlocks.
Rules V, VI and VII form the Three Sacred Treasures arc. They can be completed in different orders, but only one of those story routes can be actively progressed at a time.
Western promotional material highlights three simple rules as examples, while the Japanese-release main story is structured around eight village Rules. This guide keeps the full Rule I–VIII story structure for walkthrough accuracy.
This walkthrough follows the current Japanese release. Rule titles and some item or location names use provisional English translations until the official English localization can be verified.
Story Progress
Mark arcs complete as you play. Progress is saved only in this browser and is separate from Requests, Lost Books and Delivery Catalog trackers.
What Should I Do Next?
Choose the last arc you finished. This does not infer your inventory or claim that you are ready.
Next story target
Prologue - Settling Into Kagatsu Village
The opening days introduce farming, processing, villagers, the General Store, Dog Call, Mukou Crossroads, Quarry access, livestock and requests before the first Rule becomes the central story.
The opening days introduce farming, processing, villagers, the General Store, Dog Call, Mukou Crossroads, Quarry access, livestock and requests before the first Rule becomes the central story.
Start
Your first days in Kagatsu Village
Prepare
午後十一時以降外出禁止
The first Rule forces the player into a scripted late-night sequence and introduces the darker side of the village.
Start
The story event that introduces the first Rule
Prepare
村のために協力せよ
Complete the 12 fixed Spring Helping Tasks for villagers. The Requests guide contains the full task database; this page only shows the story-level objective and dependencies.
Start
Rin gives the player 12 Helping Tickets
Prepare
見知らぬものに近づくな
Rule III centers on the outsider mystery, the Library and several Crossroads story events.
Start
Complete Rule II and its associated progression
Prepare
The Summer Festival, additional Nago, Tobari and Komako events, Okami-buchi midnight progression, Peach-tree anomaly events and Library scenes bridge the story into Rule IV.
Start
Continue Library and Crossroads events
Prepare
他人の秘密を暴くな
Prepare for stealth, nighttime progression and access to the Village Chief Estate.
Start
Rin and Konno Crossroads progression
Prepare
村を出てはならぬ
The first flexible Sacred Treasure route begins around the village boundary and a night puzzle.
Start
Chinana / Street Vendor area
Prepare
山からの声に応えるな
The second flexible Sacred Treasure route leads through the deep mountain and abandoned-house route.
Start
Rokkaku / Restaurant
Prepare
失った物を探すな
The third flexible Sacred Treasure route enters the thicket and requires a Gold-upgraded Axe.
Start
Sazanka
Prepare
願いには相応の代償が必要
Rule VIII is the final Rule arc and leads into the Great Hole, the night route, final Shrine progression and the finale.
Start
Complete all three Sacred Treasure routes
Prepare
The finale follows the Great Hole night route into the final Shrine and Land God confrontation.
Start
Rule VIII completion
Prepare
The final sequence presents two documented choices. Do not label either one as a True Ending or Bad Ending.
Start
The final choice prompt
Prepare
Both ending choices lead into the same playable postgame content according to current Japanese guide data.
Start
Return to the playable postgame
Prepare
Flexible Route Warning
Rules V, VI and VII are parallel route choices, not a forced numerical sequence. Compare the preparation before starting one; finish the active route before switching to another.
Rule 5
Start: Chinana / Street Vendor area
Rule 6
Start: Rokkaku / Restaurant
Rule 7
Start: Sazanka
Unlock Timeline
Use progression as the guide; these are not exact-day promises.
Before You Continue
Story timing can move with weather, midnight events and earlier progress. Use this checklist to prepare broadly without treating approximate dates as hard requirements.
Keep a small reserve
Before advancing a new Rule, keep basic wood, stone, seasonal crops, processed goods and a few recovery meals available. Check the Requests Guide before turning in an uncommon item.
Check tools and licenses
The Sacred Treasure routes have different requirements: a Watering Can and Lantern for Rule V, a Deer Hunting License for Rule VI, and a Gold-upgraded Axe for Rule VII. Compare all three before choosing a route.
Protect your save
The in-page tracker is stored only in this browser and does not change the game save. For ending comparisons or risky night sequences, keep a separate manual save rather than relying on the browser checklist.
Switch spoiler level
Leave Minimal Spoilers on while browsing preparation and unlocks. Turn it off only when a route is blocked and you need the full sequence details, especially around Rules IV–VIII and the ending choice.
Late Story
Complete all three Sacred Treasure routes before Rule VIII, then follow the Great Hole and final Shrine sequence.
Rule VIII is the final Rule arc and leads into the Great Hole, the night route, final Shrine progression and the finale.
Complete all three Sacred Treasure routes
The finale follows the Great Hole night route into the final Shrine and Land God confrontation.
Rule VIII completion
The final sequence presents two documented choices. Do not label either one as a True Ending or Bad Ending.
一緒に帰ろ / ここに残る
Both ending choices lead into the same playable postgame content according to current Japanese guide data.
Return to the playable postgame
The final choice does not change playable postgame content. To view both endings, avoid saving after the first ending when prompted and be prepared to replay the final sequence.
Common Questions
There are eight village Rules that structure the main story.
No. Rule I contains a scripted night sequence. Repeatable Midnight Exploration becomes available later through story progression.
Rule II revolves around completing the 12 Spring Helping Ticket tasks. The full task list is covered in the Requests guide.
Yes. They form the Three Sacred Treasures arc and can be completed in different orders. Once you begin one route, the other two cannot be progressed until the active route is finished.
You need access provided by the Deer Hunting License.
No. Current Japanese guide data reports that both choices lead into the same playable postgame content.
Story dates can shift because of earlier progression, weather and midnight-event timing. Treat calendar dates as approximate unless the game explicitly requires a specific day.
Western promotional material highlights three simple rules: do not talk to strangers, do not leave the village and do not go out at night. The Japanese-release main story is structured around eight village Rules, so this walkthrough preserves Rule I through Rule VIII.
Where To Go Next
This walkthrough stays focused on story progression rather than duplicating database content.
This walkthrough focuses on progression requirements and practical next steps rather than reproducing every cutscene. Calendar dates are treated as approximate where story timing can shift.
Written by: Village in the Shade Guide Editorial Team
Last updated: August 27, 2026
Sources: Official publisher and storefront pages, released-game research and linked source notes.