Assassin’s Creed Shadows has 5 Legendary Sumi-e locations. Collecting all Legendary Sumi-e unlocks A Rare Occurrence trophy & achievement.
Sumi-e are paintings of animals. As Naoe, slowly sneak up to the animals and focus in on them by holding L2/LT. When you’re close enough you will draw a painting of the animal. Sumi-e are indicated by the 
icon on the compass at the top of the screen. Only 5 specific ones count as “legendary” grade, indicated by their golden color on the reward that unlocks after painting the animals. Unlike other collectibles they don’t have map markers.
4 of 5 legendary Sumi-e only spawn during specific seasons, each during a different season (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter). They also only spawn during specific times either at day or night. The weather doesn’t matter, they will spawn during any weather condition.
Each season consists of two half-seasons. It takes 90 minutes real time per half-season (180 minutes for full season). You should look for the legendary Sumi-e whenever the season changes as you play through the game, so you don’t have to wait for hours in the end. You can advance seasons by simply standing idle, then initiate fast travel or switch characters after the circle in the top right of the map is half-full or full. The season doesn’t advance automatically, it only changes when you fast travel or change characters or complete a quest, then you get a short cutscene where the environment changes.
Even when you go to the legendary sumi-e at the correct season and time, they won’t always be there. They have around 35% spawn chance during their specific season/time. If they’re not there, simply ride away for 200+ meters and come back, rinse and repeat. This immediately refreshes the available sumi-e in the area. After a few tries they should appear. You can also try fast traveling back and forth. If you’re too close to the daytime changing (too close to dusk or dawn) they might not spawn, in that case simply wait till the next day.
All of them are still obtainable after the story in free-roam, nothing is missable.
Video Guide
1. Legendary Macaque
- Location: Yamashiro > Little Leaf Glade > Sarumaru Shrine
- Spawn Condition: Any Season + Night
2. Legendary Silver Fox
- Location: Kii > Nakahechi Route > Kamimisu Inari Shrine
- Spawn Condition: Autumn + Night
3. Legendary Grey Heron
- Location: Wakasa > Lake Suigetsu
- Spawn Condition: Winter + Day
4. Legendary Deer
- Location: Yamato > Yoshino
- Spawn Condition: Spring + Night
5. Legendary Tanuki
- Location: Omi > The Shimmering Fields > Shigaraki Hamlet
- Spawn Condition: Summer + Day
That’s all 5 legendary sumi-e in AC Shadows. After finding all of them you unlock A Rare Occurrence trophy/achievement.
For all other collectibles check out the Assassin’s Creed Shadows Collectible Guide.
Zunair says
season won’t change from winter stuck for the sumi e trophy, got all other trophies.
Syko710 says
Yup same here… for a few days now stuck in Winter. Doing missions or fast traveling across the areas isn’t doing anything
lynn@SATX says
I spent more time searching for the legendary Sumi-e than I had planned, but I finally found them all! Thanks for the map images-they were a life saver!