Location and Uses of Savage Blade Kata in Nioh 3: Where to Find It in Sanjo

What to know

• Savage Blade Kata is a Secret Skills Text that unlocks a passive Samurai bonus.
• It increases Martial Arts damage, improving combo finishers and weapon arts.
• Found in Sanjo (Bakumatsu) near Honnoji Temple Grounds.
• Obtained from a chest inside a hidden tunnel path.

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Savage Blade Kata isn’t something you unlock through normal Samurai skill points. Instead, it’s a collectible Secret Skills Text hidden in the world during the Bakumatsu arc of Nioh 3. If you’re building around aggressive Martial Arts chains, this passive noticeably improves your output and makes weapon arts more rewarding to use.

Below, you’ll find its exact location, how to reach it step by step, how Skill Texts work in Nioh 3, and why this passive matters for Samurai-focused builds.

Nioh 3 Savage Blade Kata details

Category	Details
Item Type	Secret Skills Text
Skill Name	Savage Blade Kata
Region	Sanjo (Bakumatsu – 1864 CE)
Area	Honnoji Temple Grounds
Acquisition	Large chest in hidden tunnel
Effect	Increases Martial Arts damage
Skill Type	Passive Samurai bonus

Location of Savage Blade Kata in Sanjo

Savage Blade Kata is located in the Sanjo region during the Bakumatsu chapter (1864 CE), specifically near Honnoji Temple Grounds. It appears as a Secret Skills Text item inside a large chest, not as a boss drop or quest reward.

The collectible is placed slightly off the main path, requiring you to explore a tunnel system branching from the shrine area.

How to reach the chest containing Savage Blade Kata

Step 1

Start at the Honnoji Temple Grounds Shrine in Sanjo.

Step 2

From the shrine, head toward the side path that leads into a tunnel entrance. This path is not part of the direct mission objective, so you must intentionally explore.

Step 3

Move deeper into the tunnel. Enemies may appear along the route, so clear the path methodically.

Step 4

At the end of the tunnel, locate a large chest positioned inside a side chamber.

Open the chest to obtain Secret Skills Text: Savage Blade Kata.

The text prompt will confirm that you can learn the skill by praying at a shrine.

What Savage Blade Kata does

Savage Blade Kata is a passive Samurai skill that directly affects your Martial Arts performance.

In Nioh 3, Martial Arts refer to the advanced weapon techniques you trigger through stance-based inputs or skill assignments. These include powerful follow-ups, combo finishers, and weapon-specific techniques that consume Ki.

Once learned, Savage Blade Kata:

• Increases damage dealt by Martial Arts
• Enhances overall effectiveness of Samurai weapon arts
• Improves burst potential in sustained combat rotations

Because Martial Arts form the backbone of mid-to-late game Samurai builds, even a moderate passive increase significantly impacts overall DPS.

How Skill Texts work in Nioh 3

Skill Texts function differently from standard skill tree unlocks. Instead of spending Samurai points, you must physically collect them from the world.

Mechanic	Explanation
Acquisition	Found in chests or rare drops
Unlock Method	Pray at a Shrine to learn
Cost	No Samurai points required
Activation	Passive once learned
Category	Tied to Samurai skill system

After collecting Savage Blade Kata:

1. Visit any Shrine.
2. Select the option to learn skills from acquired texts.
3. Confirm learning Savage Blade Kata.
4. Once learned, the passive effect applies automatically to relevant Martial Arts.

This system encourages exploration and rewards players who thoroughly search off-path tunnels and hidden alcoves.

Why Savage Blade Kata is valuable for Samurai builds

Martial Arts are central to combat flow in Nioh 3. They:

• Extend combos
• Apply pressure during Ki breaks
• Trigger weapon-specific burst attacks
• Create stance transition opportunities

Reward	Source	Type	Permanent
Savage Blade Kata	Large chest (Honnoji Temple tunnel)	Secret Skills Text	Yes
Additional Loot	Chest contents	Random gear/materials	No

A passive that increases Martial Arts damage synergizes particularly well with:

• High Ki recovery builds
• Aggressive stance-switching playstyles
• Weapon types with heavy art reliance (katanas, dual swords, odachi variants)

Because it is a passive boost rather than an active skill, you gain increased damage without changing your rotation.

For players progressing through Sanjo Exploration Level 3/4, this can noticeably smooth difficulty spikes in mid-game missions.

How it compares to other Secret Skills

Savage Blade Kata belongs to a broader category of hidden Skill Texts that modify combat performance rather than unlocking entirely new moves.

Skill Type	Unlock Method	Impact Style
Standard Samurai Skills	Samurai Points	Active abilities
Secret Skills Texts	Exploration drops	Passive bonuses
Crucible Arts	Familiarity-based unlock	New weapon techniques

Savage Blade Kata fits squarely in the passive optimization category, making it ideal for players refining their build rather than seeking flashy new animations.

Unlocking Savage Blade Kata for stronger Martial Arts

Savage Blade Kata is a straightforward but impactful pickup in Nioh 3. By exploring the tunnel near Honnoji Temple Grounds in Sanjo and opening the hidden chest, you secure a passive damage boost that strengthens your Martial Arts across the board.

If your playstyle revolves around chaining weapon arts and maintaining offensive pressure, this Secret Skills Text is well worth detouring for during the Bakumatsu chapter.