Forget trying to bypass Spirit Veins in Nioh 3; that’s not how they function.

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As soon as you step into Nioh 3’s first open-world area during the Warring States period, you’ll encounter a Spirit Vein. In fact, there are two located near your entry point at the Tenryu River. Approaching these glowing spots won’t allow you to interact with them, as the map indicates you lack a compatible Guardian Spirit.

This can be frustrating since these Spirit Veins block access to some of the final activities in the area, and you’ll discover even more Spirit Veins as you progress. Below, I’ll break down how Spirit Veins function and how to acquire the compatible Guardian Spirits you need.

There are various types of Spirit Veins, and to utilize them, you must unlock the corresponding Guardian Spirit by advancing through the main storyline. For instance, after defeating Jakotsu-baba and completing the Crucible at Hamamatsu Castle, you’ll unlock Enko, a fire tiger Guardian Spirit. This grants you Gale Sprint, but what you might not realize is that you can also channel this Guardian to access wall-running Spirit Veins, which are prevalent in later areas like Lake Sanaru.

You don’t need to have the correct Guardian Spirit equipped to use a Spirit Vein, so don’t waste time cycling through your options hoping to make it work. As long as you’ve unlocked it, you can access it regardless of which spirit is currently active. You’ll know you can use a Spirit Vein when the map icon changes from a padlock to a starry symbol.

Once you have what you need, approach the glowing spot and interact with it to automatically perform the required action, such as wall-running to cross a large gap.

If you encounter a Spirit Vein that you can’t interact with, unfortunately, you’ll need to continue progressing through the story and return later. A character will likely lend you their friendly creature soon enough. And yes, those inaccessible Spirit Veins in the starting area of Tenryu River will be unlocked much later in the story, so don’t stress about them for now; they’re just there to tease you.