Korok Seed Trading Guide — Hestu Rewards & All Inventory Upgrades

Korok Seeds are the primary collectible currency in Tears of the Kingdom, traded with a giant friendly creature named Hestu in exchange for inventory expansion. This guide covers the entire trading system: where to find Hestu, how to unlock his full services, and how to plan your upgrade path efficiently.

Quick Stats

| Stat | Value | |------|-------| | Total Korok Seeds | 1,000 | | Seeds Used for Upgrades | 441 (maximum upgrades) | | Hestu's Gift (all 1,000) | Hestu's Gift (unique item) | | Upgrade Types | Weapon slots, Bow slots, Shield slots | | Starting Weapon Slots | 5 | | Maximum Weapon Slots | 20 | | Starting Bow Slots | 5 | | Maximum Bow Slots | 20 | | Starting Shield Slots | 4 | | Maximum Shield Slots | 20 |

Who Is Hestu?

Hestu is a Korok — a small forest spirit normally — but in Tears of the Kingdom he manifests as a giant Korok, easily distinguishable by his enormous size, yellow-green coloring, and the maracas he carries. He is the only character who accepts Korok Seeds as payment, and every seed you trade with him goes toward expanding your inventory.

Hestu dances and shakes his maracas when you complete a trade, a tradition from Breath of the Wild that returns in TotK. His personality is jovial and enthusiastic.

Where to Find Hestu

Hestu appears at three locations across Hyrule. He moves between them as you progress through the game.

Location 1: Lindor's Brow (Early Game)

Hestu's first location is near Lindor's Brow Skyview Tower in the Eldin/Hyrule Ridge transition area, southwest of Lookout Landing. He is on the road just west of the tower. This is where most players first encounter him and make their initial trades.

Coordinates: approximately northwest of Lookout Landing, near Lindor's Brow

Location 2: Lookout Landing (Mid Game)

After his first interaction, Hestu moves to Lookout Landing — the main hub settlement south of Hyrule Castle. He stands near the entrance gate. This is the most convenient location for most of the mid-game, as Lookout Landing is a common fast-travel point.

Trigger: Complete your first Hestu trade at Lindor's Brow, then return to Lookout Landing and Hestu will be there.

Location 3: Korok Forest (Late Game)

Hestu's permanent home is the Korok Forest in the Great Hyrule Forest biome, accessible through the Lost Woods. After the story advances far enough (entering the Master Sword area), Hestu relocates to Korok Forest and stays there indefinitely. Korok Forest becomes the definitive trading location for late-game seed accumulation.

Note: You can trade with Hestu at any of his locations — progress is saved globally, not per location.

How to Unlock Hestu's Services

When you first meet Hestu, he cannot trade seeds because his maracas are empty (the Korok Seeds were scattered across Hyrule, which is the premise of the collection quest). After you give him his first seeds, he performs his first dance and the trading system unlocks.

Simply interact with Hestu when you find him and offer seeds. The moment you hand over your first seed, all three upgrade categories become available.

Upgrade Costs — Full Table

The cost of each upgrade increases as you buy more in that category. Seeds become progressively more expensive per slot as you approach the maximum.

Weapon Inventory Upgrades (5 → 20 slots)

| Slot # | Seeds Required | Running Total | |--------|----------------|---------------| | 6th slot | 1 | 1 | | 7th slot | 2 | 3 | | 8th slot | 3 | 6 | | 9th slot | 4 | 10 | | 10th slot | 5 | 15 | | 11th slot | 5 | 20 | | 12th slot | 5 | 25 | | 13th slot | 6 | 31 | | 14th slot | 7 | 38 | | 15th slot | 8 | 46 | | 16th slot | 9 | 55 | | 17th slot | 10 | 65 | | 18th slot | 10 | 75 | | 19th slot | 10 | 85 | | 20th slot | 10 | 95 |

Total seeds to max weapons: 95

Bow Inventory Upgrades (5 → 20 slots)

| Slot # | Seeds Required | Running Total | |--------|----------------|---------------| | 6th slot | 2 | 2 | | 7th slot | 3 | 5 | | 8th slot | 4 | 9 | | 9th slot | 5 | 14 | | 10th slot | 5 | 19 | | 11th slot | 5 | 24 | | 12th slot | 6 | 30 | | 13th slot | 7 | 37 | | 14th slot | 8 | 45 | | 15th slot | 9 | 54 | | 16th slot | 10 | 64 | | 17th slot | 10 | 74 | | 18th slot | 10 | 84 | | 19th slot | 10 | 94 | | 20th slot | 10 | 104 |

Total seeds to max bows: 104

Shield Inventory Upgrades (4 → 20 slots)

| Slot # | Seeds Required | Running Total | |--------|----------------|---------------| | 5th slot | 1 | 1 | | 6th slot | 2 | 3 | | 7th slot | 3 | 6 | | 8th slot | 4 | 10 | | 9th slot | 4 | 14 | | 10th slot | 4 | 18 | | 11th slot | 5 | 23 | | 12th slot | 5 | 28 | | 13th slot | 5 | 33 | | 14th slot | 6 | 39 | | 15th slot | 7 | 46 | | 16th slot | 8 | 54 | | 17th slot | 9 | 63 | | 18th slot | 10 | 73 | | 19th slot | 10 | 83 | | 20th slot | 10 | 93 |

Total seeds to max shields: 93 (from base 4 slots)

Grand Total for Full Inventory Maximization

• Weapons: 95 seeds
• Bows: 104 seeds
• Shields: 93 seeds
• Total: 292 seeds for full inventory max

This leaves 708 seeds unused from the total 1,000. Those unused seeds still count toward Hestu's Gift at 1,000 total collected (not traded).

Upgrade Priority Guide

Early Game (0-50 seeds)

Prioritize weapon slots first. Weapon inventory fills fastest due to the high volume of enemy drops and chests. Getting from 5 to 10 weapon slots costs only 15 seeds — extremely efficient for the quality-of-life gain. Don't hoard weak weapons just to avoid the "inventory full" pop-up.

Mid Game (50-150 seeds)

Expand bow slots next. The Fuse system in TotK creates massive bow inventory pressure — you want to carry multiple arrow types simultaneously (ice arrows, fire arrows, bomb arrows, shock arrows). Getting to 12-14 bow slots unlocks comfortable multi-type arrow carrying.

Late Game (150+ seeds)

Expand shields and continue expanding weapons and bows evenly. By late game, you'll be collecting rare shields worth keeping (Zonai shield designs, royal shields, savage lynel shields) and the extra slots pay off. Max all three categories if you collect enough seeds.

Hestu's Gift — The 1,000 Seed Reward

After collecting all 1,000 Korok Seeds (not necessarily trading them, just collecting), Hestu performs a special extended dance and presents Link with Hestu's Gift — a golden poop-shaped trophy item. Despite its unusual appearance, it is one of the most beloved Easter egg items in the Zelda series, a callback to Breath of the Wild.

Hestu's Gift does nothing functionally — it cannot be used, sold, cooked, or fused. It is a pure collectible trophy for 100% completion. Its item description reads as a joke. It is highly sought after by completionists.

Tips and Tricks

Finding Seeds Efficiently

• Korok puzzles are the most common source. Look for flower rings in lakes, rock patterns on clifftops, balloon targets near trees, and matching tree stump puzzles
• Explore every isolated boulder, stone arrangement, or unusual flower cluster — these all indicate a nearby Korok Seed puzzle
• The camera reveals Korok Seeds in the area when used near them — a faint shimmer indicates a puzzle zone

Don't Save Seeds for "Later"

A common mistake is hoarding seeds hoping to trade them in bulk later. Trade seeds every time you visit Hestu — the upgrade is immediate and the early slots (1-5 seeds each) are the best value in the game. There is no benefit to accumulating seeds before trading.

Hestu Disappears Briefly After First Meeting

If Hestu seems to vanish after your first interaction, check Lookout Landing. He moves there before settling at Korok Forest. He is never permanently lost.

Seeds Don't Affect Hestu's Gift Progress

You don't need to trade all 1,000 seeds to earn Hestu's Gift — you need to collect all 1,000 Korok Seeds (the counter tracks found seeds, not traded seeds). The gift triggers when your found count hits 1,000.