Nure-Onna Soul Core Location in Nioh 3: How to Drain Lake in Maisaka

What to know

• Nure-Onna Soul Core drops from a Nure-Onna Crucible Wraith in Maisaka.
• You must drain the lake by activating a dam before the enemy appears.
• The drop is not guaranteed; farming may be required.
• Equip it at a Shrine via Manage Soul Cores to gain its Yokai ability.

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The Nure-Onna Soul Core is one of the more interesting Yokai drops in Nioh 3, not just because of its ability, but because of how you reach it. Unlike standard field encounters, this version is tied to a hidden environmental mechanic in the Maisaka region. If you simply search the watermill area, you won’t see the enemy at first. The lake must be drained before the Crucible Wraith reveals itself.

This guide walks you through the full process, including navigation, dam activation, traversal, and farming strategies, along with how Soul Cores function once acquired.

Nioh 3 Nure-Onna Soul Core details

Category	Details
Item Type	Yokai Soul Core
Dropped By	Nure-Onna Crucible Wraith
Region	Maisaka
Landmark	Near the watermill
Unlock Requirement	Drain the lake via dam mechanism
Drop Type	Random chance
Usage Menu	Shrine → Manage Soul Cores
Function	Grants Yokai ability + passive bonuses

Location of Nure-Onna in Maisaka

The Nure-Onna Soul Core tied to this encounter drops from a Nure-Onna Crucible Wraith located in the Maisaka region, near a watermill structure. When you first arrive, the wraith is not visible because a lake covers the area where it spawns.

You must alter the environment before the fight becomes accessible.

How to drain the lake and unlock the fight

Step 1

Travel to the Maisaka region and head toward the watermill area where the lake dominates the landscape.

Step 2

Locate the dam structure nearby. The mechanism that controls the water level is not directly in front of you—you must navigate around the exterior of a gate to access it.

Step 3

Move past a nearby Shrine, then proceed into a guarded camp area. Inside, you will find a lever that lowers a mechanical structure tied to the dam.

Step 4

After lowering the first mechanism, continue forward and interact with a second lever. This triggers the draining sequence and opens the lakebed area.

Step 5

Once the lake is drained, return toward the former water zone. You will now need to traverse across the environment by jumping onto a collapsed building roof, then carefully crossing a sequence of exposed rocks.

Step 6

At the end of this traversal path, you will encounter the Nure-Onna Crucible Wraith. Defeat it for a chance to obtain the Nure-Onna Soul Core.

This environmental puzzle is mandatory. The enemy does not spawn until the lake has been drained.

Understanding the Nure-Onna enemy

Nure-Onna is a serpentine yokai modeled after Japanese folklore. In Nioh 3, she retains her signature traits:

• Fast lunging attacks
• Paralysis-inflicting gaze
• Sweeping tail strikes
• Mid-range zoning pressure

The Crucible Wraith variant is generally stronger than standard field versions, often with increased health and more aggressive patterns.

When fighting her, you benefit from:

• Staying mobile to avoid paralysis
• Dodging laterally rather than backward
• Managing Ki carefully to prevent being staggered during tail combos

Once defeated, she has a random chance to drop her Soul Core.

How Soul Core drops work in Nioh 3

Like previous entries in the series, Soul Core drops are not guaranteed. The system is based on probability, meaning you may need multiple kills before obtaining the Nure-Onna Soul Core.

Mechanic	Explanation
Drop Chance	Random per kill
Farming Method	Repeat defeat after resting at Shrine
Reset Method	Pray at Shrine to respawn enemies
Boosting Odds	Equipment with loot bonuses (where available)

If the core does not drop on your first attempt, rest at the nearest Shrine to respawn enemies and repeat the encounter. Community testing and player reports suggest that higher difficulty settings and loot-enhancing effects may slightly improve drop frequency, though exact percentages are not officially disclosed.

How to use the Nure-Onna Soul Core

Once obtained, the Soul Core becomes part of your Yokai management system.

Step 1

Visit any Shrine.

Step 2

Select Manage Soul Cores.

Step 3

Attune the Nure-Onna Soul Core to your Guardian Spirit, provided you have sufficient attunement capacity.

Step 4

Assign the Yokai ability to activate it in combat.

Soul Cores typically provide two benefits:

• A Yokai Ability that consumes Anima when activated
• Passive bonuses depending on roll and rarity

The Nure-Onna ability generally reflects her combat style—often involving forward lunges or paralysis-based effects, making it useful for controlling aggressive enemies.

Why this Soul Core is worth farming

The Nure-Onna Soul Core fits well into builds that emphasize:

• Status effects
• Crowd control
• Burst counter setups
• Mid-range pressure

Because Crucible Wraiths tend to drop stronger variants of Soul Cores, farming this specific encounter can yield better rolls compared to standard field enemies.

For players focused on Yokai Shift synergy or Anima generation loops, it becomes a valuable addition to your rotation.

Rewards table

Reward	Source	Type	Repeatable
Nure-Onna Soul Core	Nure-Onna Crucible Wraith (Maisaka)	Yokai Soul Core	Yes
Standard Loot	Same enemy	Gear / Materials	Yes

Farming strategy for consistent drops

If you plan to farm efficiently, position your route so that:

• The Shrine is unlocked before engaging
• You can reach the drained lake area quickly
• You avoid unnecessary enemy fights en route

Each run should focus on eliminating the Crucible Wraith cleanly and resetting immediately if the Soul Core does not drop.

Securing the Nure-Onna Soul Core in Maisaka

Getting the Nure-Onna Soul Core in Nioh 3 is more than just defeating a yokai—it requires environmental interaction, traversal precision, and possibly multiple attempts. By draining the lake near the Maisaka watermill, navigating the collapsed structures, and defeating the hidden Crucible Wraith, you unlock access to one of the region’s most thematic Yokai abilities.

If you’re building around paralysis, Anima management, or Yokai-focused combat, this is a core worth adding to your arsenal.