Ikana Canyon

Ghosts in the Canyon

A familiar hoodlum runs around near Ikana Canyon’s river. It’s the despicable thief from Clock Town. Speak with the thief to learn that frightening ghosts have been appearing in swarms across the river, in Ikana Village. The thief suspects that they’re the ghosts of Ikana’s Royal Family.

At various spots around the area, Tatl calls out to you, saying that she has a strange feeling. Put on the Garo’s Mask, and you’ll summon a Garo spirit. Block the Garo’s attack, and then counter with your sword after it falls. Beaten, the Garo gives you some advice pertaining to the land you’re exploring.

Scrub Salesman

After speaking with the thief, journey along the river’s edge, and pass through a cave to locate a Business Scrub. He’s selling Blue Potions for 100 Rupees, but if you speak to the Scrub as Zora Link, he’ll tell you that he’d rather be doing business somewhere close to the sea breeze and waves. Give the Scrub your Ocean Title Deed, and he’ll hand you a Huge Rupee before taking off for the coast.

The Huge Rupee is nice, but something even better is now within your reach. Put on the Deku Mask and burrow into the Scrub’s former Deku Flower, then launch out and glide over to the nearby ledge. Hey, there’s a Piece of Heart over there!

Piece of Heart #42

You got a Piece of Heart! Collect four Pieces of Heart to assemble a new Heart Container. Each new container you put together increases the amount of life energy you can have.

Glide back across the river, and inspect the nearby sign to learn that a place called Sakon’s Hideout is nearby. You can’t enter Sakon’s Hideout at the moment, so simply backtrack along the river’s edge, returning to the dock near the thief.

Crossing the River

Two Octoroks hop up from the water near the dock. Lock on, and use Ice Arrows to turn them both into floating ice cubes. Then, leap across the two frozen Octoroks to reach the far dock.

When you reach the far dock, look to your left and spot a ledge with a small, bare tree. Hookshot the tree to zip over to the ledge, then turn and Hookshot the next tree to the left of you. Turn around and Hookshot a third tree behind you, which grows from the top of the cliff.

Ikana Canyon Owl Statue

An owl statue awaits you atop the cliff. Activate it to unlock a new Song of Soaring warp point. Now you’ll never need to deal with those pesky Octoroks again.

Mapping the Canyon

After activating the owl statue, look up and spy Tingle floating high above you on his red balloon. Go up the nearby slope and make a u-turn, scaling a higher slope as you double-back toward Tingle. Pop his balloon with an arrow or the Hookshot, then purchase his Stone Tower map for 20 Rupees.

Stone Tower Map

You got a map of Stone Tower! Now you can find your way around the canyon. The red arrow on the map shows where you entered, and the yellow arrow shows your current location.

Spirit House Haunts

Now that you’ve got a map, you can start using proper directions. Remain on the high ground (don’t go down the slope), and head north to find a building with an open door. The sign out front reads “Spirit House.” Sounds spooky! Why not head inside?

Gibdo

Damage: Varies

These mummy-like monsters move very slowly until they manage to freeze Link with their terrifying gaze. Once Link has been frozen in fear, a Gibdo quickly leaps onto his back, biting him for damage. Mash buttons to break free of a Gibdo’s grasp, and use arrows or bombs to defeat Gibdos from a safe range. (Don’t use the Hookshot, or you’ll be pulled toward these heavy foes!) The Stone Mask is not effective at fooling Gibdos. If you set a Gibdo ablaze with a Fire Arrow, its cloth wrapping burns away, changing the Gibdo into a similar enemy called a ReDead.

ReDead

Damage: Varies

Burn away a Gibdo’s bandages with a Fire Arrow, and you’ll transform the sluggish mummy into a zombie-like ReDead. A ReDead is exactly the same as a Gibdo, only more frightening to behold. It paralyzes Link with its terrifying glare if he gets too close, then it leaps onto Link’s back and bites him for damage. Mash buttons to break free of a ReDead’s clutches, then use ranged weapons, such as bombs or arrows, to slay them from range. Avoid using the Hookshot against ReDeads, which draws you toward them. The Stone Mask won’t fool these keen-eyed monsters.

The Spirit House is the site of a challenging mini-game. Speak to the Garo that runs the game, and pay 30 Rupees to try it. The Garo challenges you to defeat four wicked Poe Sisters within three minutes. The game ends if time runs out or if your life energy drops below three Hearts, so keep an eye on Link’s life energy

The first round features one Poe Sister. She starts spinning and then flies toward you in an effort to ram you, an attack that can be blocked. Lock on, keep your distance, and strike the Poe Sister with Link’s sword each time she stops spinning. (She’s invincible while spinning and can’t be harmed while invisible.) Hit the Poe Sister twice with Link’s sword to defeat her. (You can also use arrows or the Hookshot, but that takes three hits instead of two.)

The second round pits you against two Poe Sisters at once. They’re just like the first Poe Sister, so use the same tactics. It’s easy to lose time battling these two if you aren’t careful, so stay alert, and try to hit each Poe Sister at every opportunity.

The third and final round features one big, bad Poe Sister. She mixes you up by summoning clones that surround you. Only one of the clones is the real Poe Sister—the one that spins in place when the clones first appear. You can’t reach this Poe Sister with your sword, so lock on to the real one, and use arrows or the Hookshot to damage her.

It takes several hits (four hits with the Hookshot) to defeat the final Poe Sister. Keep it up, and defeat her within the time limit to claim your worthy reward: a Piece of Heart.

Piece of Heart #43

You got a Piece of Heart! Collect four Pieces of Heart to assemble a new Heart Container. Each new container you put together increases the amount of life energy you can have.

Flattening Sharp

Leave the Spirit Hut, and go north to find a nearby cave. The sign out front indicates that this is a Spring Water Cave but warns that entry is prohibited because of ghost sightings. Have no fear! Enter the cave.

Bones litter the cave’s floor, and a mysterious voice calls out from the darkness. A ghost soon appears—it’s Sharp! This is the evil brother of Flat, the friendly ghost that you met in the tomb beneath Ikana Graveyard.

Sharp begins to play a haunting tune that saps the life energy out of Link. Counter his evil melody by playing the Song of Storms. This is the song that Flat taught you after you helped his spirit find peace.

The Song of Storms’ soothing melody sends Sharp reeling and causes it to rain inside the cave. Water begins to flow from the cave, creating a river that spins the waterwheel of the nearby Music Box House. This causes music to play from the speakers on the Music Box House’s roof, and it also banishes the evil Gibdos that surround the house. Nice work!

Relieved to have his curse undone, Sharp thanks Link for his help. He asks Link to brave the temple in this land and break the curse that haunts the dead that reside there. Sharp goes on to say that, when the time is right, he will direct Link to the King who resides in the ruins of Ikana Castle.

Music Box House Mysteries

Now that you’ve banished the Gibdos around the Music Box House, you’re able to go inside. Put on the Stone Mask, and exit Sharp’s cave. Follow the river down to the Music Box House, but steer clear of the little girl who stands near the river just outside the house. You can’t let her notice you, or else she’ll flee inside the house and lock the door. The Stone Mask ensures that she’ll take no notice of you.

The Music Box House seems normal enough on the inside, but go downstairs, and you’ll get a shock. A hideous Gibdo bursts out of a closet and staggers toward you.

This is no ordinary Gibdo: it’s actually the little girl’s cursed father. Attacking him would be cruel, so play the Song of Healing instead to break his curse and obtain the Gibdo Mask that he drops.

Gibdo Mask

You got the Gibdo Mask! This mask was once the hideous face of Pamela’s father. This mask looks so real that even a Gibdo would mistake you as one of its own.

Gearing Up

The little girl and her father have suffered enough. Let them enjoy their tender moment, and head back outside with your Gibdo Mask tucked away. You need several items to help you with the next part of your explorations. Here’s the complete shopping list:

Red Potion: Buy one in Clock Town for 30 Rupees.

Magic Bean: If you’ve been following this walkthrough, the Business Scrub that normally sells Magic Beans near the Swamp Tourist Center has relocated to Clock Town. Buy a Magic Bean from the Scrub near the Clock Tower for 10 Rupees. (You may need to put on the Deku Mask.)

Deku Nut: You’re going to need a Deku Nut, as well. You can buy 10 at the Trading Post in West Clock Town for 30 Rupees.

Bombs: Lastly, you need at least one bomb. Soar to Mountain Village, and slash through the little snowballs near the owl statue to find some.

West Well

When you’re ready to go, soar back to Ikana Canyon and scale the north slope as if you were heading back to the Spirit House. Keep working your way up the winding slopes, heading to the west to find a well on the canyon’s west side. Climb down the long ladder on one side of the well, and enter the cave at the bottom to reach an ancient ruin.