Let's be real for a second. You aren't just looking for "a list." You're probably sitting at 149 or 151 shrines, staring at a map of Hyrule that looks like a Jackson Pollock painting, wondering where on earth that last green swirl is hiding. I've been there. We've all been there.
There are exactly 152 shrines in Tears of the Kingdom. If your loading screen says anything less, you've still got work to do. But here’s the thing: finding all shrines in totk isn't just about mindless wandering. It’s a deliberate, multi-layered puzzle that Nintendo designed to make you look at the world differently. If you're missing some, they are almost certainly in the sky or hidden behind a quest you walked right past.
The Sky vs. The Surface: Where They’re Hiding
The distribution isn't even, and that’s what trips people up. You have 120 shrines on the surface and 32 shrines in the sky.
Most players naturally knock out the surface ones because they’re easy to spot from a tower launch. But the sky? That’s where things get tricky. Some of those sky shrines don't even exist until you drag a giant green crystal across three islands using a makeshift hoverbike that’s running on a prayer and two batteries.
The Depths Secret (The "Aha!" Moment)
If you take one thing away from this, let it be the Lightroot connection. This is the ultimate pro tip that the game subtly hints at but never explicitly screams in your face.
Every single shrine on the surface has a corresponding Lightroot directly beneath it in the Depths. Literally, they share the exact same X and Y coordinates. If you’ve been exploring the dark, grimy underground and found a Lightroot, mark that spot on your surface map. There is a shrine there. Guaranteed.
Wait, it gets better. The names are even palindromes of each other. The Susuyai Shrine on the surface is directly above the Iayusus Lightroot. If you're stuck at 151, compare your Depths map to your Surface map. If there's a glowing spot below and a blank spot above, you just found your missing link.
Those Annoying "Proving Grounds"
Honestly, some of these are just mean. You walk in, Link gets stripped down to his boxers, and you’re expected to take out five constructs with a literal stick and a rusty shield.
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The Sifumin Shrine (Proving Grounds: Flow) is widely considered one of the biggest headaches. You’re on these floating rafts, constructs are snipers with those fused arrows, and if you fall in the water, it’s basically over. My advice? Don't rush. Use Ascend to get the high ground. The game wants you to play "tactical stealth," not "Rambo."
The "Rauru’s Blessing" Shrines
You know the ones. You walk in, there’s no puzzle, just a chest and a Light of Blessing. You might feel like you cheated, but you didn't. In these cases, the journey was the puzzle.
Usually, these are tied to Shrine Quests. Think of the White Bird’s Guidance or the ones where you have to follow a beam of light from a green crystal. If you see a pedestal with no shrine on it, you’ve got a quest to finish.
Region Breakdown: A Rough Guide to the Hunt
You can't just look at Hyrule as one big blob. You have to break it down.
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- Central Hyrule & Hyrule Field: These are your "tutorial" shrines. Most are easy to find, like the Kyokugon Shrine hidden in a cave near the Great Plateau.
- Hebra & Gerudo: These regions love their caves. If your sensor is goind wild but you see nothing but snow or sand, look for a hole in the ground. The Otak Shrine in Hebra is tucked so far back in a cave you'll think you're leaving the map.
- The Sky Archipelagos: This is where the 32 outliers live. Many are locked behind the Diving Ceremony challenges (like on Courage Island) or require you to solve the Lomei Labyrinth puzzles.
Why Bother With All 152?
Is it just for the "100%" on your save file? Not quite.
Every four shrines gets you a Light of Blessing. You trade these at Goddess Statues for hearts or stamina. If you want to max out both (or get close to it), you need every single one. But the real "flex" is the reward for finishing all 152.
No spoilers, but if you head back to the Temple of Time in the sky after completing the final shrine, you get an armor set that is... let’s just say it's a massive callback for long-time Zelda fans. It changes Link's entire appearance in a way no other armor does.
Real Talk: The Ones Everyone Misses
If you’re stuck, check these three spots. They are the most commonly "lost" shrines in the community:
- The Cave Shrines: Shrines like Mayaotaki are buried inside labyrinths or deep cave systems where the sensor can be misleading.
- The Eventide Island Shrine: Yes, you have to go all the way to the bottom right of the map. It's a whole thing.
- The Great Sky Island: Many people forget to go back here after the prologue. There are actually four shrines on the starting island, including the Nachoyah Shrine which requires you to use Recall on some waterwheels.
Your Next Steps to 100% Completion
Start by opening your map and switching between the Surface and the Depths. Look for any Lightroots that don't have a corresponding blue or orange icon on the surface. That is the fastest way to narrow down the search without using a checklist of 152 names.
Once you've cleared the surface, head to the Skyview Towers and launch yourself into every major sky cluster. If you see a giant circular platform or a lone island with a green beam, head there. Most sky shrines are visible from a distance if you look during the night.
Finally, check your quest log. If you have "Shrine Quests" sitting in your "Active" list, finish them. Those shrines won't appear on your map or trigger your sensor until the quest is actually triggered or completed. Get those last few Lights of Blessing and go claim your reward at the Temple of Time.