- Primary Subject: Nioh 3
- Key Update: Complete guide explaining how to recognize, pacify, or defeat Nurikabe without missing hidden rewards.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: February 11, 2026
- Quick Answer: Use color-coded gestures to pacify Nurikabe, check Revenant graves for clues, avoid random guessing, and only fight if necessary to access hidden loot and Hot Springs.
Nurikabe are one of the returning yokai types in Nioh 3, and if you’ve played earlier entries, you already know they aren’t ordinary enemies.
These living walls disguise themselves as part of the environment and quietly block off shortcuts, treasure rooms, Hot Springs, Kodama, and other hidden rewards.
For newer players in particular, they can be confusing at first, since attacking them isn’t the intended solution.
How Do You Recognize a Nurikabe?
You can typically spot a Nurikabe by carefully observing your surroundings, as the wall will have a slightly different color or texture than nearby structures, and approaching it will cause a pair of moving eyes to appear.
Their muted groans subtly expose their position, and advancing your Exploration Level may eventually flag Nurikabe locations on the map for easier tracking.
Although you can attack a Nurikabe and trigger combat immediately, doing so turns it into a high-health, hard-hitting stationary opponent.
It stays in place, but its attacks can quickly overwhelm unprepared players.
If a fight starts, mobility is your biggest advantage. Keep moving sideways, dodge consistently, wait for its attack animations to finish, and counter carefully instead of trading blows.
Defeating one in battle rewards you with a Nurikabe Fragment used for forging, but combat is actually the less efficient way to deal with them.
How Do Gestures Help You Avoid the Fight?
A smarter strategy is to use gestures, since every Nurikabe can be pacified with the correct emote instead of engaging in combat.
When you access the gesture menu, you’ll see that gestures are grouped by color to indicate tone, whether friendly, neutral, or aggressive.
Each Nurikabe reacts positively to only one of these gesture types, chosen at random. If you perform the correct color, the wall will peacefully disappear and grant access to whatever it was guarding.
If you choose incorrectly, its eyes will flare and you’ll get a warning reaction. You are only given two attempts before it turns hostile.
At first glance, this seems like pure guesswork with a one-in-three chance of success. However, the game offers subtle guidance, as a bloody Revenant grave is usually found near most Nurikabe.
Inspecting it often reveals that another player (or an NPC ghost) was killed by the Nurikabe for using a specific gesture type.
This detail is crucial, because if the grave indicates the player died due to a friendly gesture, it suggests you should avoid gestures from that color category.
Removing the wrong option boosts your chances, since you’re choosing between two instead of randomly guessing from three. If the first pick doesn’t work, go with the only color left.
Can You Remove a Nurikabe Without Gestures or Combat?
In rare cases, you may come up behind a Nurikabe, and if that happens, you might notice a talisman attached to it.
Interacting with the talisman can remove the wall instantly without requiring gestures or combat at all.
While this isn’t always possible, it’s worth checking if the area layout allows for it. Many Nurikabe are located in missions, Crucibles, and Battle Scrolls that can be replayed at Shrines, meaning you can return later if you miss one.
While opening every Nurikabe isn’t strictly required to finish the game, many hide Hot Springs and other progression-related collectibles, making them highly valuable for exploration-focused players and completionists.
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