Stumbled across those glowing golden barriers in Nioh 3 and wondering how to get past them? Spirit Veins are special traversal points scattered throughout the map that unlock secret areas, valuable loot, and shortcuts—but only if you’ve got the right Guardian Spirit equipped.

This guide breaks down everything you need to know about Spirit Veins, including how to unlock them, which Guardian Spirits you need, and key locations worth checking out.

What Are Spirit Veins in Nioh 3?

Nioh 3 spirit veins appear as shimmering golden auras blocking your path. These supernatural barriers prevent access to certain areas until you equip the appropriate Guardian Spirit.

Spirit Veins block gaps, cliffs, and pathways
Each requires a specific Guardian Spirit to traverse
They appear on your map once you’ve explored nearby areas
Unlocking them grants access to new regions and collectibles

Think of Spirit Veins as Nioh 3’s version of Metroidvania-style progression. You’ll spot them early on, but can’t access them until you’ve unlocked the necessary Guardian Spirit through story progression.

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How to Access Spirit Veins Nioh 3

Getting past Spirit Veins is straightforward once you understand the system.

Locate a Spirit Vein (golden shimmering area)
Equip the required Guardian Spirit at a Shrine or Bodhisattva Statue
Approach the Spirit Vein
Press the Traverse button prompt when it appears
Your Guardian Spirit activates its special ability (wall-running, flying, etc.)

Important: You cannot change Guardian Spirits while exploring. Always visit a Shrine before attempting to access a Spirit Vein.

If you approach a Spirit Vein without the correct Guardian Spirit, nothing happens. Your map will display “Compatible Guardian Spirit required” to let you know you’re not ready yet.

Required Guardian Spirits Nioh 3

Each Guardian Spirit unlocks specific traversal abilities. Here are the confirmed Nioh 3 spirit vein guardian spirits and how to obtain them:

Enko (Ninja)

Ability: Wall-running across vertical surfaces
How to Unlock: Defeat Jakotsu-baba at the first Crucible Spike during The Hamamatsu Incident mission
Spirit Vein Use: Cross wide crevasses in caves like The Haunting Caves in Maisaka

Kurama Tengu (Ninja)

Ability: Flying across large gaps
How to Unlock: Defeat the Great Tengu during the Sacred Mountain Defiled mission in Heian, Mount Kurama
Spirit Vein Use: Essential for accessing the nioh 3 tenryu river spirit veins area (more on this below)

Kongojishi (Samurai & Ninja)

Ability: Breaking through stone obstacles
How to Unlock: Defeat Takeda Shingen (Yokai) during The Battle of Saigagake in Warring States
Spirit Vein Use: Smash through blocked pathways

Narikama Tanuki (Samurai)

Ability: Water traversal
How to Unlock: Defeat Takeda Shingen during Tiger’s Cause mission in Mikatagahara Crucible
Spirit Vein Use: Cross water-based Spirit Veins

These Guardian Spirits serve dual purposes: combat support and exploration tools. Always experiment with different spirits to discover which Spirit Veins you can now access.

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Nioh 3 Spirit Vein Locations Worth Finding

While Spirit Veins appear throughout the entire map, some lead to particularly valuable rewards.

A player character using a Guardian Spirit ability to wall-run across a glowing golden Spirit Vein in Nioh 3. — Image: Team Ninja / Nioh 3

Notable Spirit Vein Locations:

The Haunting Caves (Maisaka Region)

Requires Enko Guardian Spirit
Located halfway through the dungeon
Rewards include Kodama and crafting materials

Tenryu River Crucible Wraith

Requires Kurama Tengu Guardian Spirit
One of the earliest Spirit Veins players encounter
Leads to a powerful Crucible Wraith boss fight
Alternative: Some players discovered a nioh 3 spirit vein skip glitch using precise wall jumps, though this requires advanced platforming skills

Hamamatsu Region

Multiple Spirit Veins requiring different Guardian Spirits
Essential for increasing Exploration Level
Contains Six Jizo Statues and other collectibles

Pro Tip: Check your map regularly. Spirit Veins show up as special markers once you’ve raised your Exploration Level by thoroughly exploring each area.

Best Spirit Veins Nioh 3 Rewards

Accessing Spirit Veins isn’t just about exploration—it’s about scoring valuable loot and upgrades.

What You’ll Find Behind Spirit Veins:

Kodama collectibles
Rare crafting materials
Scampuss locations
Six Jizo Statues
Shortcut paths to Shrines
Crucible Wraith boss encounters
Treasure chests with high-tier gear

Many Spirit Veins also provide permanent shortcuts that make future runs through areas much faster. This becomes especially useful during New Game Plus runs.

How to Unlock Spirit Veins Nioh 3?

Since Spirit Veins tie directly to Guardian Spirit progression, here’s a quick unlock timeline:

Early Game:

Kusanagi (Samurai/Ninja) – Available from start
Guhin (Samurai) – Available from start
Shin-Roku (Samurai) – After defeating Yamagata Masakage

Mid Game:

Nekomata (Ninja) – After meeting Hattori Hanzo
Enko (Ninja) – After Jakotsu-baba boss fight
Narikama Tanuki (Samurai) – After first Takeda Shingen fight

Late Game:

Kongojishi (Both) – After second Takeda Shingen encounter
Kurama Tengu (Ninja) – After Great Tengu boss in Heian era

The Nioh 3 vein unlock system encourages backtracking. Once you’ve obtained new Guardian Spirits, revisit earlier areas to access previously blocked Spirit Veins.

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Spirit Veins and Your Map

Your Nioh 3 spirit veins map displays these locations clearly, but only after you’ve explored nearby regions. Focus on raising your Exploration Level by thoroughly investigating each area, defeating enemies, and finding collectibles.

Nioh 3 in-game map showing the Maisaka Region with a Spirit Vein marker near Lake Sanaru. — Image: Team Ninja / Nioh 3

Markers on your map indicate whether you can currently access a Spirit Vein or if you need a different Guardian Spirit. This saves you from wasting time trying to force your way through impossible barriers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know which Guardian Spirit I need for a specific Spirit Vein?

When you approach a Spirit Vein without the correct Guardian Spirit equipped, your map displays “Compatible Guardian Spirit required.” Unfortunately, the game doesn’t tell you exactly which spirit you need—you’ll need to experiment or consult guides for specific locations.

What’s the wall jump glitch for Tenryu River Spirit Vein in Nioh 3?

Some skilled players discovered you can bypass the Tenryu River Spirit Vein using precise wall jumps without needing Kurama Tengu. This technique is extremely difficult and not recommended for most players—it’s easier to simply progress the story and unlock the proper Guardian Spirit.

Do Spirit Veins respawn or reset in Nioh 3?

No, once you’ve traversed a Spirit Vein and accessed the area behind it, that path remains permanently open. You don’t need to re-traverse them on subsequent visits to that location.

Are there Spirit Veins that lead to missable content in Nioh 3?

No Spirit Veins block essential story content, but some do lead to optional bosses, rare loot, and collectibles. If you’re a completionist, make sure to revisit earlier areas with newly unlocked Guardian Spirits to catch everything you might have missed.