All Bonds in Fushimi

Complete Fushimi bonds in like a dragon ishin: Utamaruya Owner, Umai Udon Owner, Fukufuku Pub Owner, and Desperate Fisherman.

Bond with Utamaruya Owner

The proprietor of the “singing bar” in along the northern edge of Fushimi, you can start a bond with him as early as Chapter 2 just by entering the establishment. If you want to improve your bond, you’ll have to play the karaoke minigame, with each song attempted giving you a small boost to your bond regardless of how you perform, albeit at the expense of 500 mon. It’s worth noting that after each song you’ll get a choice to “Extend Session”, which allows you to sing another song, but if you’re just trying to max out your bond, you do NOT want to do this. Quit after each song, as your bond increases the same amount whether you sing one song, or several. Work your way through each song, quitting between each attempt, and your bond will increase apace.

Get your bond up to around 50% and Utamaruya’s owner will mention some “big shots” who are opposed to peasants engaging in any frivolity. Nothing immediately comes from this, so keep singing until your bond is at 75%, at which point the owner will close up shop. Leave and travel a distance away to get him to reopen - traveling to Teradaya should suffice.

Once you return to Utamaruya you’ll find that the “big shots” the owner mentioned earlier have made an appearance, and are pressuring the owner to shut the store down. The leader of these aristocratic thugs, an “Arrogant Man”, is as absurd as he is direct. Needless to say, a patron of the arts like Ryoma isn’t going to let them bully the owner, and a fight ensues.

The three Ruffians you’ll have to fight are fairly strong - at least as strong as any single enemy you’ll encounter on the streets, early-game. They’ve got loads of health and decent damage output, but otherwise fight like any other sword-wielding generic enemies. You should be able to knock them down with simple combos and punish them when they’re on the ground, just be wary of opportunistic attacks as you thrash your target. It may take a while to chip away their health bars, but it shouldn’t be an overly difficult fight.

Defeat the nobles and strike a blow for the merriment of the lower classes. Back in Utamaruya, the owner will thank you for saving his establishment, giving you a Phoenix Feather. This will also fill out the rest of the bond bar, and you’ll earn 2,250 Virtue for maximizing this bond.

Bond with Umai Udon Owner

One of the many vendors operating stores along Fushimi Ichibangai, when you first visit the Umai Udon shop, the owner will injure his back and ask you to fill in for him, starting the Udon Shop Minigame. Every time you attempt this minigame you’ll increase your bond with the Umai Udon Owner, regardless of your performance, although since you get 10% of the sales you’ve some incentive to do well. In addition, you can also increase your bond with the shop owner via the usual method of buying meals from them. What you order doesn’t really matter, just as long as you consume SOMETHING, you’ll gain some bond.

Eat and/or serve noodles until your bond is at 50% at which point the next time you talk to the Umai Udon Owner, he’ll mention some secret, but will refuse to elaborate further. Keep boosting your bond until it’s around 90%, at which point the Umai Udon Owner will tell you the secret he was keeping before offering Ryoma a job. Naturally Ryoma turns it down, and afterwards your bond will max out, earning you 2,250 Virtue.

Bond with Fukufuku Pub Owner

Along the southwestern end of Fushimi Ichibangai you’ll find the Fukufuku Pub. Buy food and/or drink there to start a bond with the owner, which you can then continue to build up via repeated visits. You won’t get much bond each order, but keep chipping away at it and eventually you’ll fill the bond bar to around 60%. Once your bond is high enough, after a purchase the owner will talk to Ryoma, who will use the indomitable art of peer pressure to trick the owner into drinking with him. This… is a mistake, as it reveals a terrible secret about the pub owner.

After the ill-fated bout of drinking with the pub owner, you’ll need to leave the area and return to trigger the next phase of this bond. Entering and exiting Teradaya should be sufficient. Once done, return to the Fukufuku Pub and you’ll spot two men talking about the pub owner’s drinking habits, which have convinced them to seek out a different watering hole. When Ryoma is talking to the pub owner afterwards you’ll get some dialog choices. Pick the following:

• ”No, it’s fine.”
• ”Water would taste better.”

Following this, your bond with the Fukufuku Pub Owner will max out, he’ll give you some Nada Refined Sake and you’ll earn 2,250 Virtue.

Bond with Desperate Fisherman

Just south of Teradaya, between the River Fishing Spot and the Sea Fishing Boat on Shinmachi, Fushimi, you’ll find a Desperate Fisherman who just can’t get break. Or a bite. Same thing, in this case. Due to his chronic lack of success as a fishe