Look. We’ve all been there. You’re wandering around the Zora’s Domain in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, looking for that one specific piece of gear that makes Link look like he’s ready for a high-speed swim meet. You hear about the a token of friendship totk quest and think, "Oh, it's just a quick side hop."
It’s not. Well, it is, but only if you know exactly where the cave entrance is hiding.
Most people get stuck because the Zora quests in this game are notoriously layered. You’re dealing with sludge, you’re dealing with a prince who has some serious emotional weight on his shoulders, and then someone mentions the Zora Greaves. That’s what we’re really talking about here. The "A Token of Friendship" quest is the gatekeeper for the Zora Greaves, which, let’s be honest, you need if you want to complete the set and get that swim speed boost. It’s basically the difference between Link doggy-paddling and Link becoming a torpedo.
Where the heck is the Ancient Zora Waterworks?
You can’t just stumble into this. You have to talk to Yona. She’s the one who kicks this whole thing off after you’ve dealt with the main "Sidon of the Zora" questline. If you haven't finished the Water Temple yet, stop. Go do that. The game won't even let you sniff this quest until the sludge is cleared and the Zora can actually breathe again.
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Once the air is clear, Yona is usually hanging out near the back of the throne room area or by the infirmary. She’ll mention a gift she wanted to give Link—a "token of friendship"—but it’s tucked away in the Ancient Zora Waterworks.
Here is the kicker: the Waterworks have changed since the last time you were there for the main story.
The entrance is that giant hole in the ground in the East Reservoir Lake. You know the one. It looks like a massive drain. Dive in. Don't worry about the fall; there’s water at the bottom. But once you’re down there, the layout is confusing because the water levels have dropped, revealing new paths that weren't accessible when you were busy fixing the plumbing for the main quest.
Finding the Greaves: It’s Behind the Waterfall (Classic Zelda)
Nintendo loves a trope. If there is a waterfall in a Zelda game, there is a 90% chance there is a chest or a Korok behind it. The a token of friendship totk quest leans hard into this.
Once you are inside the Ancient Zora Waterworks, you need to look for the massive hole at the back of the main chamber. You'll see a Talus—a Stone Talus (Luminous) to be exact—wandering around. You can fight it if you want the gems, but if you’re low on hearts or just lazy, you can actually just scurry around the perimeter.
Look for the waterfall at the very back of the room. It’s huge. You can’t miss it.
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The "Wait, Where is it?" Moment
Walk through the waterfall. Behind it, there’s a small, hidden alcove. Inside that alcove sits a chest. Open it, and boom: Zora Greaves.
Honestly, the "A Token of Friendship" quest name is a bit misleading because it sounds like you’re going to get a literal token or a key item. Nope. You get pants. Very functional, fish-like pants. These greaves give you the "Swim Speed Up" effect. When you pair them with the Zora Armor (which lets you swim up waterfalls) and the Zora Helm (which gives you a spin attack in the water), you become an aquatic god.
Why Most Players Get Frustrated With This Quest
The biggest hurdle isn't the Talus. It’s the geography. The Waterworks is a vertical space, and in the dark, every rock looks the same. I’ve seen people spend forty minutes circling the main pillar because they thought the chest was buried under a pile of breakable rocks.
It's not.
It’s also worth noting that if you try to find this before talking to Yona, the chest might not even trigger correctly for some players, or the dialogue won't clear from your quest log. Always trigger the quest first. It’s a "Side Quest," not a "Side Adventure," meaning it’s relatively short, but the reward is top-tier.
Another thing: the Stone Talus in that room is a Luminous variety. If you're running low on Luminous Stones for armor upgrades (like the Radiant Set or the Awakening Set), this is a great place to farm one every blood moon. It’s a controlled environment, and the Talus is pretty easy to telegraph. Just use Ascend to get on its back or shoot its "ore deposit" with a bomb arrow to stun it.
The Gear Stats You Actually Care About
Let's talk numbers, because why else are we doing this?
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- Base Defense: 3
- Set Bonus: Swim Dash Stamina Up (when the whole set is upgraded to level 2)
- Upgrade Material: You’re going to need a lot of Lizalfos horns and scales.
If you’re planning on taking on some of the harder late-game content, specifically anything involving the reservoirs or the rainy regions of Faron, having the full Zora set isn't just a luxury. It’s a requirement for sanity. Trying to swim against a current without the a token of friendship totk reward is a recipe for drowning and losing a fairy.
Common Misconceptions and Troubleshooting
I’ve seen some chatter on Reddit and Discord about the chest not appearing. Usually, this happens because people are looking in the "old" Waterworks—the version of the map from before the Water Temple is cleared. The "Token of Friendship" quest specifically relies on the post-temple state of the world.
Also, don't confuse this with the "Zora's Homecoming" or other Zora-centric quests. This one is specifically about Yona's gift. If your quest log doesn't say "A Token of Friendship," you're probably chasing the wrong objective.
Some people also ask if you can get the greaves early by glitched movement. Technically, yes, you can clip into many places in Tears of the Kingdom, but for a standard playthrough, the "intended" way is so fast that glitches aren't really worth the effort. Just talk to the fish-lady, jump in the hole, and walk behind the water.
Finalizing the Zora Set
Once you have the greaves from the a token of friendship totk quest, you should make sure you have the other two pieces. The Zora Armor is given to you by Yona earlier (you just need to give her an ancient arowana fish). The Zora Helm is hidden in a chest inside a giant fish... literally. It’s on Floating Scales Island (the "Land of the Sky Fish"). Look for a small crawlspace on the "tail" of the island.
When you have all three, take them to a Great Fairy. You’ll need:
- Lizalfos Horns
- Hyrule Bass
- Hearty Bass (for the higher levels)
Upgrading the set to level 2 is the sweet spot. That’s when the "Swim Dash Stamina Up" kicks in. It allows you to spam the dash button while swimming without emptying your stamina bar in three seconds. It makes navigating the flooded ruins of the Depths or the high-altitude lakes of the Sky Islands much, much easier.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Playthrough
If you’re sitting at your Switch right now, do this:
- Teleport to the Mogawak Shrine in Zora’s Domain.
- Run up to the main level and find Yona to ensure "A Token of Friendship" is active in your quest log.
- Head east to the East Reservoir Lake and look for the whirlpool/drainage hole.
- Dive in, stay to the right of the Stone Talus, and run straight through the large waterfall at the back.
- Grab your greaves and then immediately head to the Floating Scales Island if you still need the helm.
Don't overthink the combat in the Waterworks. You're there for the loot. If you’re fast, you can be in and out in under three minutes, leaving that Talus wondering where its shiny rocks went.
Expert Tip: Before you leave the Waterworks, look up. There are often several Bubbul Frogs in the cave systems connected to the Zora region. If you haven't gotten the gem for this specific cave, use your sensor or just look for the pale blue glow in the side tunnels. It's a "two birds, one stone" situation that saves you a return trip later when you're trying to 100% the game.
Wait, check your inventory: Do you have enough arrows? The Talus is much easier if you can hit its weak point from a distance. If not, just sprint. Link is faster than a rock monster anyway.
The Zora Greaves are a game-changer. Get them.