Mikoshi
Mikoshi
Mikoshi (Japanese: 神輿, lit. "spirit/god litter") is a critical piece of cyberspace infrastructure in Cyberpunk 2077. Controlled by the Arasaka Corporation, it serves as a digital fortress and the final destination for several major narrative arcs.
Overview
- Ownership: Arasaka Corporation
- Nature & Location: A secretive, high-security cyberspace repository hosted on Arasaka’s orbital servers. It contains digitized personalities created through the Soulkiller program and stored as part of Arasaka’s "Secure Your Soul" project.
- Etymology: In real-world Japanese culture, a mikoshi is a portable Shinto shrine, a vessel for divine presence. In Cyberpunk 2077, Mikoshi becomes a vessel for human souls.
Access — The Izanagi Terminal
- The main access point to Mikoshi is codenamed Izanagi, located beneath Arasaka Tower in Night City.
- Access requires "Kisen" authorization, special session permits, and strict logging.
Role in Quests
Mikoshi features prominently in late-game storylines, most notably during:
- Belly of the Beast – V and their allies breach Arasaka Tower, confront Adam Smasher, and reach the Mikoshi access point, where they reunite with Johnny Silverhand and Alt Cunningham.
- Changes – Once connected to Mikoshi, V faces a critical choice: return to their body with limited time to live, or allow Johnny to take over permanently.
Endings Involving Mikoshi
Mikoshi plays a decisive role in most endings of Cyberpunk 2077:
| Ending | Summary |
|---|---|
| The Star | With Panam Palmer and the Aldecaldos, V connects to Mikoshi and returns to their body. |
| The Sun | V (or Johnny) connects to Mikoshi and emerges as a living legend of Night City. |
| Temperance | V sacrifices their body, allowing Johnny to continue living. |
| New Dawn Fades | A darker variation where Johnny takes full control after Mikoshi. |
| The Devil | In cooperation with Arasaka, V enters Mikoshi and faces a corporate deal. |
| Secret Ending | A hidden “suicide run” into Arasaka Tower leads to Mikoshi, branching into The Sun or Temperance depending on choices. |
Themes and Significance
- Digital Afterlife: Mikoshi symbolizes a technological afterlife, storing engrams of souls indefinitely.
- Corporate Power: It demonstrates Arasaka’s dominance over identity, mortality, and human freedom.
- Cultural Allusion: The name reimagines ancient Shinto practices of carrying divine spirits as corporate digital prisons.