
Kusanagi is a boss from Nioh 3 during the mission Calamity's Seed. See how to beat Kusanagi, as well as the weaknesses, drops, and location in this guide.
List of Contents
| Kusanagi Strategy |
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Ninja style is recommended as it's important to be mobile during this boss fight. You'll need to avoid both Kusanagi and the ranged magic attacks of the priestess, so don't stay in one area too long.
It's not worth going after the priestess during the fight as she will just get up eventually after getting knocked out. Keep her in your field of view and get ready to dodge when she casts her magic.
Try to position yourself behind Kusanagi as most of its attacks hit directly in front, and for the extra backstab damage. Watch out for its tail slam because it deals fire damage in a wide cone.
Remember not to overcommit your attacks because you might get hit by the priestess's magic.
Kusanagi's red attack is easy to counter as it will leap to the air for the wind-up. Simply pull back to create distance and give yourself more time to react.
By this point in the story, you should have already unlocked a second slot for a summoning seal. Don't underestimate summons as they can sometimes come in clutch when Kusanagi's health is low.
If you're still struggling with Kusanagi, don't hesitate to farm some levels and equip gear that match your level then try again.
How to Level Up Fast: Amrita Farming Guide
Keep your Living Artifact ready to secure the victory when Kusanagi is low. You're invulnerable while in this state but you must still dodge or block because sustaining damage shortens its duration.
You also have unlimited Ki while Living Artifact is active. Use this to spam your most potent Martial Arts.
Summon an acolyte from nearby benevolent graves to serve as a distraction and help deal chip damage. You'll need Ochoko Cups to summon acolytes, which you can obtain by defeating revenants from bloody graves.
Use talismans and items such as Power Talismans and Power Pills to boost your attack. Note that they do not stack and only refresh the duration of the attack buff.
You can also use the talismans from Soul Cores listed below to give you an advantage.
| Talisman / Soul Core | Effect |
|---|---|
| Scampuss Summoning Seal (Scampuss Soul Core) |
Shreds enemy Ki quickly |
| Life Leech Talisman (Mermaid Soul Core) |
Helps keep your health topped up |
| Preservation Talisman (Mujina Soul Core) |
Saves you from a fatal hit |
| Barrier Talisman (Otoroshi Soul Core) |
Boosts Ki regeneration and dispels Yokai Realms |
The Awakening skill is highly recommended to speed up talisman usage, especially against bosses where you can easily get punished.
It is also easy to fit in most builds as it only costs 3 Points.
| Era | Antiquity |
|---|---|
| Main Mission | Calamity's Seed (Recommended: Lv 89) |
Kusanagi's weaknesses and resistances aren't mentioned in the game, but it seems to be weak against Wind since it takes decent damage. Since it uses Fire and Water attacks, it may be resistant to those elements.
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・Himiko's Staff Lv. 97 ・Shaman Queen's Necklace Lv. 97 ・Ninja's Locks ・Smithing Text: Himiko's Staff |
Kusanagi is found in Spirit Tree Village during the mission Calamity's Seed.

| Warring States | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Yamagata Masakage |
Jakotsu-baba |
Baba Nobuharu |
|||
Yamagata Masakage (Yokai) |
Takeda Shingen |
Takeda Shingen (Yokai) |
|||
| Heian | |||||
Great Tengu |
Otoroshi |
Ibaraki Doji |
|||
Kajiwara Kagetoki |
Minamoto no Yoritomo |
||||
| Antiquity | |||||
Kusanagi |
Hiruko |
||||
| Return to Edo | |||||
Tokugawa Kunimatsu |
|||||
| Bakumatsu | |||||
| Takasugi Shinsaku | Enenra | Nuribotoke | |||
| Okita Soji | Tokugawa Yoshinobu | ||||
| Final Battle of Edo | |||||
| Death Veil | Hiruko (Final Boss) | ||||
| Optional Bosses | ||
|---|---|---|
Demon of Pride |
Demon of Envy |
Demon of Obsession |
| Optional Bosses | ||
|---|---|---|
Bloodedge Demon |
Ryomen Sukuna |
Hino-Enma |
Otzu no Kata |
Yoki |
Hattori Hanzo |
| Ninja Yoki | Kyokotsu | Aggrieved Warrior |
| Warring States Era | ||
|---|---|---|
Kamaitachi |
Mezuki |
Green Shadow's Blade |
| Blood-Spurting Ogin | Naito Masatoyo | Anayama Nobutada |
| Honda Tadakatsu | Nuppeppo | Onryoki |
How to Beat Kusanagi



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