Ikana Canyon and Ancient Castle of Ikana Walkthrough

Majora's Mask 100% Completion Walkthrough11 chapters

Walkthrough overview

• PrologueDeku curse, Clock Town, Bombers’ code, Moon’s Tear, first Heart Piece, Ocarina, Song of Time and the Deku Mask.
• Clock Town, Termina Field and Romani RanchGreat Fairy’s Mask, Notebook, Adult Wallet, Heart Pieces, Epona’s Song and Bunny Hood.
• Southern Swamp and Deku PalaceKoume, the Pictograph Box, the monkey, Sonata of Awakening and every Heart Piece.
• Woodfall TempleAll 15 Stray Fairies, Hero’s Bow, Boss Key, Odolwa, the Great Fairy’s spin attack and the Deku Princess.
• Snowhead RegionMountain Village, Lens of Truth, Goron Mask, Goron Lullaby, Powder Keg trial, Goron Race and sword upgrades.
• Snowhead TempleAll 15 Stray Fairies, 3 small keys, Fire Arrows, Boss Key, Goht boss fight and the Great Fairy’s reward.
• Great Bay RegionGet the Zora Mask, the Hookshot, all seven Zora eggs and the New Wave Bossa Nova before Great Bay Temple.
• Great Bay Temple15 Stray Fairies, water pipe puzzles, Wart, Ice Arrows, Gekko, Boss Key, Gyorg and the Double Defense reward.
• Ikana Canyon and Ancient Castle of IkanaCaptain’s Hat, Song of Storms, Gibdo Mask, Beneath the Well, Mirror Shield, Ancient Castle, Elegy of Emptiness.
• Stone Tower TempleClimb the tower, find all 15 Stray Fairies, win the Light Arrows and Giant’s Mask, and beat Twinmold.
• Final ConfrontationPlay the Oath to Order, clear the four Moon dungeons, earn the Fierce Deity’s Mask and beat Majora’s three forms.

Ikana Canyon is the stepping stone to the fourth temple. You ride Epona east, get past the Garo guarding the road, wake the graveyard on the first three nights, bring the river back to life with the Song of Storms, earn the Gibdo Mask, trade your way through Beneath the Well for the Mirror Shield, and then fight through the Ancient Castle of Ikana until its king gives you the Elegy of Emptiness. That song is the key to Stone Tower.

Here is how the canyon fits together before you start. The road from Termina Field leads past a Garo in a rock cave into the canyon, and a branch of the road leads north to the graveyard. A river full of Octoroks has to be crossed to reach a plateau with the Ikana Canyon Owl Statue and Tingle. Beyond it the dry riverbed runs up to the Spring Water Cave, and on the hill stand the Music Box House with its waterwheel, the well that leads into the Ancient Castle, the Spirit House and Sakon’s Hideout. The Great Fairy fountain and the entrance to the Stone Tower climb lie northeast of the Music Box House, so you pass them again in the Stone Tower Temple walkthrough.

How to get to Ikana Canyon

What to bring before you leave Clock Town

Do the Great Bay Temple first. Without Ice Arrows you cannot freeze the Octoroks that block the river, and the Hookshot you got in Pirates’ Fortress is needed for the climbs here. Pick up Garo’s Mask from the Gorman Track race (see Clock Town, Termina Field and Romani Ranch) before you go, because there is no way past the Garo at the road without it.

Stock your pockets for the rest of the chapter as well. Beneath the Well asks for five Magic Beans (the Bean Seller in the Southern Swamp sells them), ten bombs, ten Deku Nuts, a fish, a bottle of Milk and a Big Poe. Catch the fish with an empty bottle in the water around the Great Bay lab or cape, and fill a bottle with Milk by playing Epona’s Song beside a cow at Romani Ranch. The fish, the Milk and the Big Poe each need a bottle of their own, so carry at least three. Bring the Goron Mask and a Powder Keg for the castle, and keep a Red or Blue Potion for the soldier who gives out the Stone Mask.

Ride Epona past the Garo

Leave Clock Town by the east gate, call Epona with Epona’s Song and ride along the road to Ikana, jumping the fences as you go and steering clear of the creatures on the way. At the fork, the northern branch leads to the graveyard and the road on to the canyon continues east.

A Garo stands in the rock cave at the end of the road. Without Garo’s Mask he only warns you away. Talk to him wearing the mask and he takes you for the leader of the ninjas and lets you through. Epona stays behind from here, so carry on up the canyon on foot.

With the mask on, more Garo ninjas pop out of the ground around the canyon and greet you as their master. Each one draws a sword and duels you, so shield, strike when he misses and keep going until he gives in. The loser passes on a hint, such as aiming the arrowhead that freezes at the river beasts to get across the valley, which is your cue to use Ice Arrows on the Octoroks in the river.

How to get the Stone Mask from Shiro

On the Road to Ikana a soldier named Shiro sits against the wall, invisible without the Lens of Truth. Look at him through the Lens, talk to him and hand over a bottled Red Potion or Blue Potion. He gives you the Stone Mask, which makes most enemies lose track of you, and he fills in an entry in your Bombers’ Notebook. Keep wearing it in Stone Tower Temple, where the Beamos and Death Armos ignore you while it is on.

Ikana Canyon Owl Statue and Tingle’s map

At the river a pair of Octoroks blocks the way. Freeze each with an Ice Arrow while it surfaces and use the ice as a stepping platform, hopping from one to the next. Then Hookshot up the tree branches to reach the plateau.

Strike the Owl Statue on the plateau with your sword. Soar here from now on; it is the quickest way back to Ikana. Find Tingle floating nearby, shoot his balloon and talk to him. He sells the Stone Tower map for 20 rupees, and a map tells you where you are in the canyon.

Ikana Graveyard walkthrough

How to get the Captain’s Hat

From the fork on the road, take the northern path to Ikana Graveyard and pass Dampe’s house. A giant skull blocks an archway; play the Sonata of Awakening in front of it. That wakes Captain Keeta, a skeleton who runs from you through the graveyard.

Chase him through the graveyard and shoot him with arrows to slow him down. Stalchildren rise beside the stone structures and raise walls of fire; kill the two of them, wait for the flames to die, then target Keeta and shoot as you advance. Once you land a hit the real fight begins: strike him and keep close. Beat him and he gives you the Captain’s Hat.

The Captain’s Hat makes the Stalchildren obey you, which is what opens the three graves in the next sections. It also keeps ReDeads in the castle from attacking.

How to learn the Song of Storms from Flat (Night 1)

Reach the first night of the cycle; use the Song of Double Time if it is still daytime. Wear the Captain’s Hat and talk to the Stalchildren circling a grave in the south of the graveyard. They stand to attention for their captain and ask what to do: “Guard the grave” or “Open the grave”. Choose “Open the grave”. The grave they open depends on the night, and only the first night’s grave leads to Flat.

Jump into the hole and cross the pits into the tunnel. Beat the Keese in the next room, then light the torches to unseal the far door. Wake the Iron Knuckle with one hit, back away from its axe, and strike while the axe is stuck in the floor; after its armor falls off it moves faster, so dash in, hit and retreat.

With the guard down, a secret tomb opens and the ghost of the composer Flat appears. Play the notes on the tablet back to learn the Song of Storms, a turbulent tune that blows curses away. His brother Sharp waits in the Spring Water Cave, where the song is needed, so learn it before you head there.

Ikana Graveyard Piece of Heart (Night 2)

On the second night the Stalchildren circle a different grave. Order them to open it and use the Lens of Truth to find the invisible path across the cavern, which hides Skulltulas, Keese and traps. Bomb the cracked wall in the left hallway and beat a second Iron Knuckle in the chamber behind it; a chest appears with a Piece of Heart.

Dampe’s grave and the Empty Bottle (Night 3)

On the third night, the Night of the Final Day, the grave leads to Dampe, the gravekeeper. Stay close to him while he digs. The blue flames he turns up gather into a Big Poe that jumps around and reappears behind you, so keep turning and shoot it with the Hero’s Bow. Defeat it and you can fill a bottle with it. In the N64 version it earns you an Empty Bottle (the 3DS remake gives a Piece of Heart instead).

Ikana Canyon: Spring Water Cave, Music Box House and the Gibdo Mask

Spring Water Cave and Sharp

Follow the dry riverbed in the north of the canyon to the Spring Water Cave. Deep inside, the ghost Sharp, the other composer, challenges you and tells you to join the dead. Play the Song of Storms at once. He recognises his brother’s song and is cleansed. The river runs again, the waterwheel at the Music Box House turns, and the Farewell to Gibdos tune it plays makes the Gibdos around the canyon sink into the ground. Sharp sends you to find the king in the ruins of the Ancient Castle and break the curse at its root.

Music Box House: how to get the Gibdo Mask

A little girl named Pamela lives in the Music Box House and keeps the door shut while spirits wander. Wear the Stone Mask to slip in unseen, or wait until she is far enough from the door and rush in, or set off a bomb to make her leave. Inside, go downstairs and stand near the cupboard at the back.

When her father comes out, play the Song of Healing for him from a few steps away. His curse lifts and you receive the Gibdo Mask. With it, Gibdos and ReDeads treat you as one of their own, and you can finally talk to the Gibdos in the well.

Spirit House Poe Sisters Heart Piece

The Spirit House stands on the hill, up a path to the left of the Music Box House. Pay 30 rupees and defeat the four Poe sisters with your Hero’s Bow within three minutes, keeping at least three hearts or the match ends. The last sister, Meg, splits into copies and only the real one can be hurt. Finish in time and you earn a Piece of Heart.

Beneath the Well walkthrough: how to get the Mirror Shield

Enter the well with the Gibdo Mask

The well sits on the hill beside the Music Box House. Wear the Gibdo Mask so the Gibdos leave you alone and ask for things instead, climb down the ladder (or just fall in) and enter the cave at the bottom. Each locked door has a Gibdo beside it that wants one specific item; talk to him and pick the item from the menu. Keep moving, because a Wallmaster drops from the ceiling and sends you back to the entrance.

Gibdo requests in order

Take the rooms in this order. In the first room the Gibdo on the right wants five Magic Beans. In the next room kill the Freezard and Ice Keese, pick ten Deku Nuts from the Deku Babas, and give them to the Gibdo at the east door. In the bomb corridor go straight and take the first left: the Gibdo at the end wants ten bombs. Past him is the room of blade traps; stand in the middle to bring out the Big Poe, sidestep its charge, shoot it with an arrow as it passes, repeat until it dies and catch its spirit in an empty bottle.

Go back to the Gibdo in the room of nuts and give him the fish. The next Gibdo, straight ahead, wants the Big Poe spirit. Then go through the room past the spiked door, and give the Milk to the Gibdo guarding the last door.

Several side rooms are optional and the route does not need them. Be careful with your bottles, because the main route needs the fish, the Milk and the Big Poe at the same time.

Mirror Shield chest

The last room has four unlit torches. Light them all with Fire Arrows and a chest opens that holds the Mirror Shield. Then step into the beam of sunlight and raise the shield to bounce the light onto the sun drawing on the wall; a ladder appears. Reflect the light a second time at the block high on the wall to clear it, and follow the new passage out of the well, climbing the ladder at the end.

That passage leads on to the Ancient Castle of Ikana. Light from the Mirror Shield works on the Sun Blocks you meet around the castle, so keep it handy.

Ancient Castle of Ikana walkthrough

Courtyard ReDeads and the north wing

Go into the palace wearing the Gibdo Mask, Captain’s Hat or Garo’s Mask so the four ReDeads dance instead of grabbing you. Shoot Fire Arrows at the two frozen eyes above the pillars to unseal the north and south doors, then take the north door.

In the first crystal switch room, hit the first switch as Deku Link, run through the room and hit the second; when the platform rises, dive into a flower, and when it lowers, launch to the pillar. Take off the Deku Mask, step on the switch and go through the door quickly. Next is the Skulltula room: use the Lens of Truth to find a block of ice to hop onto and shoot the Skulltulas with arrows.

Blue Bubbles fill the next corridor; run past them, because touching one leaves your sword unusable for a short time. Above the courtyard, Deku Flowers and a crystal switch surround a central switch; fly to it to open a hole in the castle. On the roof a Piece of Heart sits on a pillar; hit the crystal switch to put out the flames, then use the Deku Flowers to reach it.

South wing, Wizzrobe and the roof

Return through the front and shoot a Fire Arrow at the eye to open the door. In the Floormaster room stand in the light with the Mirror Shield and redirect it onto the Floormaster’s hand; it splits into three small hands, so strike them quickly or use the light again before they reunite. The Fire Wizzrobe in the next room is beaten the same way: strike it while it is solid, and when four appear, go for the one that is not translucent. Then take the east door and climb to the roof.

On the roof, take the Goron Mask and drop the Powder Keg on the cracked ground. Switch to the Gibdo Mask before you fall through the hole. In the room below, use the Mirror Shield on the sun-marked wall to open the way on.

Elegy of Emptiness

Igos du Ikana tells you the curse is broken and asks you to seal the doors of the Stone Tower. He gives you “a soldier who has no heart”, teaching you the Elegy of Emptiness. It sheds a shell in the image of the form you wear, up to four at a time, one for each of Hylian, Deku, Goron and Zora Link, and these statues hold down switches. Leave the castle and play the Song of Soaring to return to the Ikana Canyon owl statue.

Think about resetting here. A Song of Time reset keeps your masks, songs and equipment such as the Mirror Shield, but empties your wallet unless you banked the rupees, and your bottles lose their contents. Nothing in this chapter needs to be redone, so it is a good moment to reset before Stone Tower.

Chapter checklist

With the Elegy of Emptiness in your pocket, continue to the Stone Tower Temple walkthrough, which starts with the climb up the tower.