When does Ghost of Tsushima take place?

It’s the beautiful story of Jin Sakai’s redemption, which lives rent-free in the hearts of every Ghost of Tsushima fan.

Ghost of Tsushima takes place in Japan and opens with worthy in-land Samurai warriors trying to fight for freedom on the island and taking on the Mongol Empire’s invasion led by their general Khotun Khan, who is depicted as the grandson of Genghis Khan. 

Before reading through the piece, here is a minor spoiler warning: many of the details below will reveal the game’s plot. If you were waiting on Ghost of Tsushima’s PC release, we’d suggest you check the game’s specs, preload and finish the title, and understand the origin of everyone’s favorite Samurai PlayStation exclusive. Without further ado, let’s dive into the game’s history.

Ghost of Tsushima time period, explained

The Ghost of Tsushima takes place in 1274 on the island of Tsushima, which remains the only place between the invading mainland Japan and the invading Mongol Empire. These Mongol wars happened during the Kamakura period (1185-1333) through the battles of Bunei and Koan, respectively.

The last of Clan Sakai, Jin Sakai, was among the Japanese Samurais who put their lives on the line to defend the island against the invaders. However, the Mongols prevail in the fight, leaving the protagonist and other Samurais to die.

He miraculously survives that battle and seeks revenge on Khotun Khan. But things turn for the worse when he realizes his honorable tactics won’t help him achieve his goals. Jin is forced to surpass the samurai traditions, learn the way of the Ghost by adopting guerilla warfare, and take justice into his own hands to win Japan’s freedom.