when does nioh 3 take place

Nioh 3 takes place primarily in 1622 during Japan's Genna era, centered around Edo Castle amid a yokai invasion sparked by Tokugawa Kunimatsu's dark ambitions against his brother Takechiyo.

This timeline positions it as a sequel to Nioh (late Sengoku period) and Nioh 2 (prequel), unfolding after those events while introducing time-travel mechanics.

Core Timeline

• Main Events : 1622, Genna 8—Edo Castle on the verge of Takechiyo's shogunate appointment; yokai horde attacks led by Kunimatsu, empowered by sinister forces. Takechiyo uses his guardian spirit Kusanagi to transcend time and avert disaster.

• Expanded Scope : Story spans multiple eras via time travel, including Sengoku-period Tōtōmi (1572 demo/alpha chapter, overlapping Nioh 2 Chapter 2), Heian-period Kyoto, and hints of Bakumatsu (1853-1867) volatility in some previews—though official sources emphasize feudal roots over late periods.

• Lore Fit : Builds on Nioh 2 's amrita memories and Nekomata presence; focuses Tokugawa clan perspective, concurrent yet alternate to prior narratives, with open fields across Edo, Tōtōmi, and Kyoto.

Time-Travel Layers

Nioh 3 innovates with era-hopping quests, letting players revisit/alter history to save Japan—Edo crisis triggers jumps to Sengoku battles and ancient Kyoto yokai clashes.

Demo Insight : Alpha (Chapter 2) in 1572 mirrors Nioh 2 events, suggesting non-linear progression where players freely explore interconnected zones, side quests, and Crucible challenges.

Conflicting fan speculation (e.g., Reddit) pits Bakumatsu theories against canon 1622 start, but trailers and wikis confirm early Edo as anchor.

Forum Buzz (2025-2026)

"The Alpha... set in 1572 which is during Chapter 2 of Nioh 2. Amrita memories... suggest time travel." – Reddit/Nioh

Players debate: Does it retcon timelines or parallel Nioh 2? Trending post- release (Feb 6, 2026 launch), with previews praising open fields over linear missions.

TL;DR : Starts 1622 Edo, time-travels across Sengoku/Heian eras—no full Bakumatsu pivot.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.