The Nocturne of Shadow
Enter Kakariko Village as adult Link from the plains after obtaining the Forest, Fire, and Water Charms. After the fire scene, speak with Sheik.
Learn the Nocturne of Shadow spell from Sheik.
This will allow you to reach the pedestal above the graveyard.
Before changing age, return to Hyrule Field . East of the town bridge, find the tree near the town wall and read the Fairy Message on its trunk with Navi. Then visit the shaded rock ledge northeast of the Gerudo Valley entrance and read the message beside the empty chest. Both messages unlock Pieces of Heart for young Link. Play the Prelude of Light , return the Master Sword to the Pedestal of Time, and head back to Kakariko Village as a child.
Drain the well in Kakariko Village
As a child, go to the windmill and play the Song of Storms for the musician. This will drain the well.
Leave the windmill and go to the now-dry well. Climb down the ladder into the shaft and crawl through the low tunnel. Beyond it begins the Bottom of the Well , a small but intricately layered labyrinth full of illusions, hidden pits, and undead.
The trapdoor and the five crystals.
Behind the first door, defeat the Skulltula that rappels down from the ceiling. Go past the floor inscription and straight through the false wall to the north. Jump over the pool and the narrow channel, then go through the north wall again. Stay behind the wall by the entrance for now. As soon as the hand falls from the ceiling, dodge it and strike. Then look at the large chest opposite. The floor gives way on the way to it. Let yourself fall down.
Two undead enemies wait below. Defeat them before entering the poisonous water. Four of the five crystals are in this chamber, including two in the swamp. To reach the last one, bomb the cracked wall in the southeast . The side passage contains another undead enemy and the Dungeon Map . The open western door leads to a ladder. Climb up, take the northern door, and follow the passage on the right past the Green Bubble. Avoid the short passage at the northwest corner, where the floor collapses. Take the northern branch to the Triforce symbol instead. Play Zelda’s Lullaby, crawl through the hole in the northern wall, and defeat the Skulltula beyond it. Go through the next door and drop into the misty chamber.
Miniboss: Dead Hand
Go towards one of the pale hands until it snaps at you. Jump back and strike with your sword before it stands up again. The Dead Hand will emerge from the ground even if its hand hasn’t grabbed you.
Keep your distance while the Dead Hand holds its head up. As soon as it lowers it, move in and strike its head with short sword blows before it bites. If it raises its head again, take a step back and wait for the next opening. After the first few hits, it will bury itself. Draw it out again with a hit to one of its hands. In the second round, two hands will block its path, and in the final round, four. Drag the Dead Hand to a clear patch of ground so that no hand catches you during its attack.
If a hand grabs you,
Quickly move the left stick left and right. As soon as you are free, jump out of the Dead Hand’s reach and wait until it lowers its head again.
After defeating the Dead Hand, open the large chest containing the Lenses of Truth. Activate them when searching for illusionary walls, invisible floors, or chests. Deactivate them using known methods to conserve magic.
The three Gold Skulltulas at the Bottom of the Well.
Leave the Dead Hand Chamber through the southern false wall. Use two ladders and another false wall to return to the channel. Follow it west, drop down, and dive under the grate. Defeat the Gibdo in the crypt. Light a Deku Stick, burn the net in front of the coffins, and open the coffin on the west wall for Small Key 1/2 Dive back down and follow the channel east. Before the southeast corner, the Lenses of Truth will show you a niche on the right wall. Open the invisible chest there with Small Key 2/2 . For the Compass , go north in the western canal and through the right-hand false wall to the large chest. This way you can reach it from behind without stepping into the trapdoor.
Gold Skulltula 1/3 – Right Side Room
Go into the hall with the cross on the floor. Keep your distance from the middle pit and open the right side door with Small Key 1/2 . Follow the invisible path directly along the right wall with the Lenses of Truth. Defeat the Keese and behind it Gold Skulltula 1/3 . Retrieve its Token with the Boomerang .
Gold Skulltula 2/3 – Left Side Room
Return to the Cross Hall and open the western side door with Small Key 2/2 . Defeat the Deku Baba and Gold Skulltula 2/3 on the wall and pull the Token with the Boomerang to you.
Gold Skulltula 3/3 – Eastern Room
Use the Lenses of Truth to follow the eastern channel to the door in the northeast. Watch for the invisible pit beyond the door. Defeat the Keese, destroy the Beamos with a bomb, and take the southern door to the Like Like. Defeat it from a distance, then defeat Gold Skulltula 3/3 on the east wall. Collect its token with the Boomerang.
Collect items as Young Link
Gold Skulltula at Hyrule Castle
Leave the well and, as a child, go to Hyrule Castle moat Sneak past the guards to the area south of Talon’s former sleeping place. Play Song of Storms and jump into the opened grotto. Defeat the Gold Skulltula on the high wall and pull its Token with the Boomerang to you.
Pieces of Heart 1 and 2 – The Frogs on Zora River
Go to the Zora River to the frogs. Play the Song of Storms for the first Piece of Heart . Next, play the Song of Time : For this fifth standard song, you receive 25 Rupees : You played the other four standard songs on your first visit. After all five frogs have grown, take out the ocarina again. Play the note of the frog over which the butterfly is hovering. After a flawless round, you receive the second Piece of Heart .
Piece of Heart in the treasure chest game.
Visit the Treasure Chest Shop in Hyrule Castle Town at night and pay 10 Rupees. In each room, activate the Lenses of Truth to identify the chest with the Door Key. Open it and unlock the next door. In the final chamber, collect the Piece of Heart from the large chest.
Two Pieces of Heart in Hyrule Field
Return as a child to the tree east of the town bridge where you read the fairy message before aging up. Take 100 Rupees , blast the cracked ground next to the trunk, and jump into the grotto. Give the Business Scrub the password from the message and buy the Piece of Heart .
Go to the shaded ledge northeast of the Gerudo Valley entrance . After reading the fairy message as an adult, the previously empty chest now contains a Piece of Heart . Open it and then return to the Temple of Time.
Ready for the Shadow Temple
In the Temple of Time, pull the Master Sword and grow up. Play the Nocturne of Shadow to travel to the pedestal above Kakariko Village Graveyard. From there, go down the stairs to the Shadow Temple.
Chests and their contents
Show all 12 chests
| Floor | Quantity | Content | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd Basement | 1 | Lenses of Truth | |
| 2nd Basement | 1 | Dungeon Map | |
| 1st Basement | 2 | 20 Rupees | |
| 1st Basement | 3 | 5 Rupees | |
| 1st Basement | 1 | 50 Rupees | Lenses of Truth |
| 1st Basement | 1 | Deku Shield | If you already have Deku Shield: 5 Bombs |
| 1st Basement | 1 | Business Scrub Seed | |
| 1st Basement | 1 | Small Key | |
| 1st Basement | 1 | Compass |