- What to know
- Quick overview of the Futama locked door solution
- Location of Futama Locked Door
- Nioh 3 Abandoned Shrine Key location
- Step-by-step guide to opening the Futama locked door
- Common mistakes that cause players to get stuck
- Rewards and progression impact
- Wrapping up the Futama locked door section
What to know
- The Futama locked door cannot be forced and only opens with a specific quest key
- The Abandoned Shrine Key is mandatory to progress Searching for a Spy
- The key is easy to miss if you don’t backtrack from the door
- No alternate route or shortcut exists for this section
Right after you reach the locked door in Futama during Searching for a Spy, the game quietly expects you to step away from the objective and explore a nearby side path. This moment catches many players off guard because the main route appears blocked with no immediate hint. Once you know where to look, however, the solution is straightforward and safe to execute.
Quick overview of the Futama locked door solution
| Element | Details |
|---|---|
| Quest name | Searching for a Spy |
| Area | Futama |
| Blocked objective | Locked wooden door |
| Required item | Abandoned Shrine Key |
| How to get it | Backtrack uphill from the door |
| Enemy requirement | Defeat nearby hostile guarding the corpse |
| Missable? | Yes, if you don’t explore the side path |
Location of Futama Locked Door
The locked door in Futama is a hard progression gate, not an optional shortcut or loot door. Unlike some earlier barriers in Nioh 3, this one cannot be bypassed with stealth, Yokai abilities, or destructible terrain. The Abandoned Shrine Key is scripted specifically for this quest step, and the door will remain inactive until the key is added to your inventory.
The game subtly teaches backtracking here, reinforcing the idea that linear-looking areas often hide critical paths behind you. If you rush forward without checking elevations and junctions, this is where you’ll feel stuck.
Nioh 3 Abandoned Shrine Key location
From the locked door itself, turn around instead of continuing to search the immediate area. You’ll notice a sloped path leading uphill, which initially feels like a dead end but is actually the intended solution route. As you move upward, expect standard hostile resistance, so clearing enemies before looting is strongly recommended.
At the top, the terrain opens into a small junction. This is the most important navigation moment in the process. Going straight leads to nothing useful, but turning right takes you toward a body lying near an enemy patrol. This corpse is not highlighted until you’re close, which is why many players walk past it.
Once the guarding enemy is dealt with, interacting with the body causes the Abandoned Shrine Key to drop automatically. There are no additional conditions, puzzles, or item checks involved.
Step-by-step guide to opening the Futama locked door
Stand directly in front of the locked door in Futama and confirm it cannot be opened without a key. Turn around and backtrack along the path you previously used to reach the door.
Climb the uphill trail leading away from the objective, staying alert for enemy encounters. At the small junction, take the right-hand path, ignoring the forward route. Defeat the nearby enemy guarding a corpse positioned along the edge of the path.
Loot the body to obtain the Abandoned Shrine Key, which is added instantly to your inventory. Return to the locked door and interact with it to unlock and continue the quest.
Common mistakes that cause players to get stuck
Many players assume the locked door is tied to a later objective or optional side mission, but that’s not the case. The most frequent issue is failing to backtrack, especially after clearing enemies and mentally committing to forward progress. Another common mistake is missing the right turn at the junction, since the area doesn’t visually emphasize it as important.
There is also no need to reset the area, rest at a shrine, or reload the map. If the key hasn’t dropped yet, it simply means the correct enemy or corpse hasn’t been interacted with.
Rewards and progression impact
| Reward | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Abandoned Shrine Key | Unlocks the Futama locked door |
| Quest progression | Allows Searching for a Spy to continue |
| Area access | Grants entry to the next scripted section |
Wrapping up the Futama locked door section
The Futama locked door in Searching for a Spy is a classic Nioh 3 progression check designed to reward careful exploration rather than brute force. Once you know that backtracking uphill and turning right is the answer, the entire sequence takes only a few minutes. Keep this moment in mind moving forward—Nioh 3 frequently hides critical quest items just outside your immediate line of sight.
