If you are closing in on the Platinum trophy in Nioh 3, you have probably already sliced your way through the grueling main campaign and are now mopping up the obscure, highly specific achievements. The Distant Memories trophy is exactly that: a bizarre, easily missable lore-nod that requires you to bathe in two specific Hot Springs, with two specific companions, in a very specific order.
At its core, this trophy is a massive Easter egg. By bathing with Himiko in the past, and then bathing with her likely reincarnation, Ii Naotora, in the present, you trigger a rare déjà vu dialogue sequence. You won’t stumble into this naturally if you are just rushing to the boss arenas.
Here is the exact blueprint to pop the Distant Memories achievement and get back to your loot grind.
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Trophy Requirements at a Glance
| Step | Battle Scroll (Mission) | Era / Type | Companion | Action Required |
| 1 | Dark Roots | Antiquity (Main Mission) | Himiko | Rest in the Hot Spring near the boss lift. Wait for her full dialogue to finish. |
| 2 | Apparition of Ryotan Temple | Warring States (Sub-Mission) | Ii Naotora | Use a red gesture on the Nurikabe wall. Rest in the hidden spring and listen to the dialogue. |
 Step 1: The Setup in “Dark Roots”
Your first stop is the Antiquity era. If you’ve already beaten the game, just hit up any Shrine and load into the “Dark Roots” main mission via the Battle Scrolls menu.
Play through the level normally until you reach the very bottom floor—you’ll know you are in the right place because the ground is covered in ominous red liquid, right before the elevator that takes you down to the boss. Instead of dropping down to fight, look to your left. You will spot a Hot Spring.
Hop in and let your companion, Himiko, speak. Crucial detail: Do not exit the bath until she has completely finished her dialogue. Once she stops talking, the game flags the event. To save time, you don’t even need to finish the mission; just pop open your System menu and exit out to the map.
Step 2: The Payoff in “The Apparition of Ryotan Temple”
Next, load up the Warring States era and boot the “The Apparition of Ryotan Temple” Battle Scroll. This is a sub-mission tied to the Fated Land myth, located at the top of the Iinoya region.
Push through the level until you are behind the temple near the backyard pond area. You are looking for a hidden Hot Spring, which is currently being blocked by a Nurikabe (the giant Yokai walls with eyes).
Do not attack it! Fighting a Nurikabe in a tight space is a headache you don’t need right now. Instead, stand in front of it and perform a negative (red) gesture. The wall will peacefully bow out, granting you access to the Hot Spring behind it.
Step into the water with Ii Naotora. Because you already triggered the flag in Dark Roots, Naotora will experience a moment of intense familiarity, dropping some unique dialogue about the situation. Once she finishes speaking, the Distant Memories trophy will unlock.
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FAQs
Q: I already collected every single Hot Spring for the 100% completion trophy. Do I seriously have to go back and do this?
A: Yes, unfortunately. Even if you have the Hot Springs checklist completely ticked off on your world map, the Distant Memories trophy is tied strictly to the dialogue events, not the discovery of the springs. You have to replay the Battle Scrolls and do them in the 1-2 order.
Q: Can I just sprint past all the enemies in Dark Roots to get to the Hot Spring?
A: Absolutely. If you are running an endgame build, just cast Tiger-running and Suppa scrolls (ninjutsu) to turn invisible and sprint straight to the bottom floor. It takes less than two minutes.
Q: What happens if I accidentally use a blue or yellow gesture on the Nurikabe?
A: Nurikabe are essentially a two-strike guessing game. If you use the wrong color gesture, it will get angry. If you guess wrong a second time, it will instantly become hostile and attack you. Since we know the correct answer for this specific wall is red (negative), just use that to save yourself a fight.
Q: Do I have to finish the Ryotan Temple mission after the trophy pops?
A: Nope! The second that PlayStation trophy notification dings in the corner of your screen, you are free to System-quit out of the mission and move on to your next objective.
