Nioh 3 Futamata Castle Walkthrough

The Futamata Castle mission opens along the banks of the Tenryu River in Tōtōmi Province. Unlike the open battlefields of later missions, Futamata Castle is a tight, vertical level built around the castle structure itself. The mission is divided into three distinct zones: the river approach, the flooded castle basement, and the upper castle walls leading to the courtyard.

From the first Shrine, the path follows a muddy riverside trail heading northeast toward the castle gate. This initial stretch features scattered Gaki and a few Dweller-type yokai lurking in the reeds. Two Kodama are hidden along this river approach — the first is tucked behind a cluster of rocks near the water's edge, and the second is inside a collapsed fishing hut roughly halfway to the castle gate. Keep your eyes open for the telltale green glow near destructible objects.

The castle gate is locked from the inside, forcing you to take a side path through a breached section of the outer wall. This detour leads down into the flooded lower corridors of Futamata Castle. The water in these corridors reaches knee height and reduces your movement speed significantly. Enemies here include Kappa and Umi-bozu fragments that blend into the dark water — listen for splashing sounds to detect them before they strike.

The flooded basement section of Futamata Castle contains the mid-boss arena where Kyokotsu waits. A third Kodama is hidden in an alcove just before Kyokotsu's chamber — check the left side of the corridor behind a pile of broken crates. After defeating Kyokotsu, the key it drops unlocks the stairway that leads upward to the second Shrine and the upper castle walls.

The upper castle walls section of Futamata Castle is a linear path along the battlements, defended by human Takeda soldiers and occasional Dark Realm pockets. The remaining two Kodama are placed along this route — one is on a narrow ledge beneath the main wall path (drop down carefully), and the final Kodama is behind a wooden barricade that must be destroyed before the courtyard entrance. NPC ally Ii Naomasa waits near the second Shrine and provides supplies including Elixirs and a free Lightning Talisman.

Futamata Castle features two distinct enemy populations that correspond to the mission's vertical layout. The lower sections — the river approach and flooded basement — are dominated by yokai, including Gaki, Kappa, Umi-bozu fragments, and Dwellers. The upper castle walls shift to human Takeda soldiers with occasional yokai spawns inside Dark Realm pockets. This split means you should prepare elemental consumables for yokai in the first half and switch to anti-human tactics for the second half of Futamata Castle.

Mid-Boss: Kyokotsu

Kyokotsu is the mid-mission boss of Futamata Castle, lurking in the flooded basement waterways beneath the castle. This skeletal yokai fights in the shallow water, using bone-projectile attacks and sweeping claw combos. The water in Kyokotsu's arena slows your movement, making dodge timing more critical than usual. Fire is Kyokotsu's primary weakness — apply Burning status with Fire talismans or fire-imbued weapons to stagger it frequently and reduce its attack speed. When Kyokotsu glows purple and raises both arms, it is charging a devastating grab attack. Sprint sideways (not backward) to avoid it, as the grab has significant forward reach. Defeating Kyokotsu drops the Basement Key needed to progress through Futamata Castle.

Final Boss: Baba Nobuharu

Baba Nobuharu is the final boss of the Futamata Castle mission and serves as an early test of your ability to handle multi-phase human bosses. Nobuharu fights in the castle courtyard and has two distinct phases. Phase 1 is a mounted cavalry fight — Nobuharu charges across the courtyard on horseback, swinging a heavy naginata with wide arcs. Dodge to the side during charges and punish him during his turn-around animation. After roughly 50% HP, his horse is staggered and Nobuharu dismounts for Phase 2.

In Phase 2, Baba Nobuharu fights on foot with faster naginata combos and occasional grab attacks. He gains access to a Ki-pulse counterattack that punishes overly aggressive players. Lightning is Nobuharu's weakness — applying Electrified status slows his attack animations noticeably and gives you larger punish windows. The free Lightning Talisman from Ii Naomasa is designed exactly for this fight. Our full Boss Guides section covers more detailed movesets for both Futamata Castle bosses.

The most effective approach to Futamata Castle is a split-element strategy. Equip Fire talismans or a Fire-imbued weapon for the first half of the mission and the Kyokotsu fight, then switch to Lightning for Baba Nobuharu. This covers both boss weaknesses without needing to change your weapon loadout. If you only have one element available, Lightning is the better all-around choice since Nobuharu is the harder fight.

For the flooded corridor sections of Futamata Castle, use Low Stance for its faster dodge. The water slows all movement, but Low Stance dodge is least affected. Avoid heavy armor in the basement — Equipment Weight above 70% makes the water penalty almost unmanageable. If you normally run heavy armor, consider swapping to medium pieces for this mission.

The Dark Realm pockets on the upper castle walls are optional but contain valuable loot. Each pocket has 2-3 yokai that must be cleared to dispel the realm. Ki management inside Dark Realm zones is critical — your Ki recovery is halved, so use Ki Pulse after every combo and avoid getting staggered. If you find these sections too difficult, you can sprint past them and return later once you have cleared the mission and are stronger.

During the Baba Nobuharu fight in the Futamata Castle courtyard, focus on dodging his mounted charges in Phase 1 rather than attacking. Each charge has a long recovery window that lets you get 2-3 hits on the horse, which accelerates the dismount transition. In Phase 2, stay at mid-range and bait his naginata thrust combo — the final thrust has a long recovery that gives you a safe punish window. Apply Lightning with the talisman from Ii Naomasa early in Phase 2 to slow his attacks for the rest of the fight.

Completing the Battle of Futamata Castle unlocks several unique rewards that will serve you well into the mid-game. The Futamata Battle Standard accessory in particular is a standout item for Ki-focused builds and remains useful even in later difficulty tiers.