What to know
- The key is in the same mission area as the locked Abandoned Sky door.
- It is located just up and around the corner from the door itself.
- The item appears as a glowing pickup on the ground.
- Once collected, you can immediately return and unlock the shrine-like doorway.
In Nioh 3, many side objectives follow a familiar structure: you encounter a locked shrine-like entrance, explore nearby paths, find a key item, and return to progress deeper into the mission. The Abandoned Sky quest follows this exact pattern.
If you’re stuck at the locked door, the solution is closer than you think.
What The Abandoned Sky quest involves
The Abandoned Sky is a hidden-area style quest that requires opening a sealed shrine-like doorway within a mission zone. Unlike puzzle doors that require switches or environmental triggers, this one strictly requires a key item found within the same area.
Once opened, the door typically leads to:
- A hidden chamber
- Additional enemies or a miniboss
- A quest progression trigger
- Reward loot tied to completion
The structure is simple but easy to overlook if you assume the key is located far away.
Abandoned Shrine key location in Nioh 3
The key is located right around the corner from the locked door.
After encountering the sealed shrine entrance, do not leave the area entirely. Instead, move slightly upward and follow the adjacent pathway wrapping around the structure. The key is positioned in a small side alcove or sub-path very close to the door’s location.
You are looking for a small glowing item pickup on the ground. This is the quest-specific key item, often labeled something like Abandoned Shrine Key or Abandoned Sky Key depending on region naming.
The placement is intentional: it encourages short-range exploration rather than backtracking across the entire map.
How to unlock the Abandoned Sky door
Once the key is in your inventory, return directly to the locked shrine door. Stand in front of it and interact.
Because you now possess the required key item, the game will display an interaction prompt to unlock the door. There is no puzzle, no additional mechanic, and no secondary requirement.
The door opens immediately upon use.
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Find glowing key pickup near door |
| 2 | Add key to inventory automatically |
| 3 | Return to shrine-like locked entrance |
| 4 | Interact to unlock |
If the interaction prompt does not appear, double-check that you picked up the correct glowing item.
What happens after opening the door
Inside the Abandoned Sky chamber, you typically encounter:
- Hostile enemies guarding the interior
- A miniboss encounter
- A shrine interaction
- A quest trigger or cutscene
Clear the enemies and interact with the objective marker inside the chamber to complete the quest step.
Most hidden-door quests in Nioh 3 follow this formula:
Find key → Open door → Clear chamber → Complete objective
The Abandoned Sky quest is no exception.
Why players miss the key
The reason many players struggle here is because they assume the key is hidden deep in another part of the map. In reality, it is positioned intentionally close to the door to reward careful exploration of nearby side paths.
Often, players run past the short detour, expecting something more elaborate.
Checking small alcoves, dead ends, or elevated corners near locked doors is almost always the correct approach in Nioh 3.
Efficient exploration strategy
When encountering locked doors in Nioh 3:
- Scan the immediate surrounding area first
- Check for upward paths, side ledges, or alcoves
- Look for glowing pickups rather than large chests
- Clear nearby enemies to safely inspect corners
The game rarely forces extreme backtracking for key-based side objectives.
Nioh 3 Searching for a spy quest rewards
| Reward | Type | Quantity / Level | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ninja’s Locks | Skill Item | 1 | Grants +1 Ninja Point when used |
| Hanzo the Demon’s Spear | Weapon (Spear) | Lv. 41 | Completion reward weapon |
| Rifle Ammunition | Ammo | ×4 | Sent to Storehouse |
| Luck +1 | Passive Bonus | — | Exploration spot bonus |
| Exploration Spots Revealed | Region Progress | — | Map intel unlocked |
To find the key for The Abandoned Sky quest in Nioh 3, stay near the locked shrine door and explore the adjacent side path just around the corner. The key appears as a glowing item pickup on the ground, only a short distance from the entrance.
Once collected, return to the door, unlock it immediately, and proceed inside to complete the objective.
If you’re stuck, remember: in Nioh 3, the solution is often closer than it looks.
