Remember Mezuki, the horse-headed yokai with the massive cleaver who gave you trouble right at the start of Nioh 3? He’s back. The Mezuki second encounter in Nioh 3 happens in the Bakumatsu region, in Shijo, 1864 CE, and it’s honestly one of the best moments in the whole game for showing you how far your character has come. Mezuki wasn’t a monster fight the first time around either, but it was easy to get careless and eat a cleaver to the face. This time, you’ll walk in with a completely different toolkit, and the difference is night and day.

Nioh 3 launched on February 6, 2026 for PS5 and PC, and it was the first time the series shipped simultaneously on both platforms at day one, so a huge wave of players hit Bakumatsu around the same time and started asking where this rematch actually is. If you’re one of them, here’s everything you need, from the exact spot to stand and fight to the gear that turns this into an easy win instead of a repeat of your first scare.

Before you head out, bookmark this guide, since we’ll also point you toward a few other Nioh 3 boss writeups that pair nicely with this one, including our full breakdown of every boss and location across Bakumatsu and Antiquity.

Where the Mezuki Second Encounter in Nioh 3 Takes Place

You’ll find him in Shijo, part of the Bakumatsu era set in 1864 CE, roaming south of the Kawaramachi Crossroads Shrine. Head out from the nearest shrine, follow the wide road past the damaged buildings and the open courtyard area, and you’ll spot him patrolling well before you’re close enough to trigger the fight. This isn’t tied to the end of a specific mission, so you can walk right up to him the moment you’re exploring that stretch of Bakumatsu. Just be sure to clear the smaller yokai nearby first, since a few of them like to join in if you get sloppy with positioning.

Shijo itself is worth taking slow. It’s built as a maze of narrow side streets branching off that main road, and more than a few players run straight past Mezuki the first time because they’re distracted by a locked gate or a glowing item just out of reach. Take a lap of the immediate area before you engage him, clear out the smaller yokai patrols first, and you’ll walk into the actual fight without anything interrupting you halfway through. For a wider view of everything else worth doing in that era, our Bakumatsu and Antiquity locations guide covers the surrounding shrines and side content too.

How This Second Fight Compares to Your First Mezuki Run-In

Your first meeting with Mezuki happened way back in Tokaido, part of the 1572 CE Warring States era, south of where you arrive at the very start of the game, with a recommended level of around eight. That fight was designed to teach you the basics, reading a slow wind-up, punishing a long recovery, and not panicking when the cleaver comes down. If you want to go back and compare notes, we cover that first fight and the rest of the Warring States bosses in our guide to every boss and location in Nioh 3’s opening region. The second time around, Mezuki throws the exact same moveset at you, but you’ll notice almost immediately that he doesn’t feel dangerous anymore. That’s not the game going easy on you, that’s just how much stronger your character has gotten.

Mezuki’s Attacks and Weaknesses in the Nioh 3 Rematch

He still opens with that wide overhead cleaver spin, followed by the triple cleaver smash where he steps forward and slams down three times in a row. Sidestep each hit instead of backing away and you’ll find a window to counter after the third swing. Elementally, Mezuki takes noticeably more damage from Fire and Lightning, and he resists Water, so leave the water-based talismans at home for this one. He also shrugs off Paralysis, but he’s still vulnerable to the standard yokai afflictions, and Purity paired with a second element is a great way to stack Confusion while also chipping away extra ki damage. Fire adds damage over time on top of that, and Lightning slows down his attack animations just enough to make punishing him even easier. None of this is new information if you fought him back in Tokaido, since Mezuki keeps the same elemental profile across every appearance, but it’s worth double checking your loadout before you head into Shijo if it’s been a while since your last yokai fight.

Best Strategy for the Nioh 3 Mezuki Second Encounter

This is where the fight really shows off your progress. Dodging comes easily now, your magic strikes hit hard, and you’ve got a much wider spread of Ninja Tools to throw into the mix than you did back in Tokaido. Timing an Evade right before Mezuki’s swing recovers Ki and tops up your Ninjutsu and Arts gauges at the same time, so you’re rarely running dry on tools even if you’re throwing them often. If you’ve been building out your ninja kit already, our Demon of Envy ninja guide has more on getting the most out of that gauge. Lean on your Living Artifact and Soul Core abilities early in the fight for burst damage, and if Mezuki pulls off his Burst Attack, use Burst Break to shut it down before it connects.

The gear you actually need for this rematch is a lot lighter than what you probably brought to the first fight. A weapon with Fire or Lightning damage rolled onto it, one or two Purity-infused talismans, and a full stock of ranged Ninja Tools cover almost everything Mezuki can throw at you. You don’t need to farm anything special or grind out a new build just for this fight, since whatever you’ve been using to clear the rest of Bakumatsu will already be more than enough. At this point in the game, this boss is genuinely easier than a lot of the regular enemies you’ll run into wandering around the region, and that’s a good feeling. It’s the kind of moment that reminds you just how far your character has actually come since that first nervous fight back in Tokaido.

What Comes After the Mezuki Rematch in Nioh 3

This won’t be the last time you see him either. Mezuki shows up a third time in Sanjo during the “Ryoma’s Bequeathment” myth, arriving after a wave of lesser enemies and one elite fighter, which we walk through in our Ryoma’s Bequeathment quest and Mezuki boss fight guide. Later still, during the Final Battle of Edo, he joins Gozuki for one more team-up fight, the same duo pairing we broke down in our Gozuki boss guide. Four appearances across three centuries of story is a lot for one yokai, and each one is really there to measure how much stronger you’ve become since the last time you crossed paths. It’s a small design touch, but it works. Instead of just throwing a bigger number at you and calling it progression, the game hands you the exact same fight you struggled through hours ago and lets you feel the difference for yourself.

Mezuki Second Encounter FAQ

Here are the questions that come up most for players heading into this rematch.

Where do you fight Mezuki again in Nioh 3?

The second time is in Shijo, during the Bakumatsu era set in 1864 CE, south of the Kawaramachi Crossroads Shrine.

Is the Mezuki second encounter harder than the first fight?

No, it uses the same moveset as the first fight in Tokaido, but by the time you reach Bakumatsu your character has far more tools, so it plays noticeably easier.

What is Mezuki weak to in Nioh 3?

Fire and Lightning deal bonus damage, while he resists Water and the Paralysis status effect.

Does Mezuki appear more than twice in Nioh 3?

Yes. He returns a third time in Sanjo during the “Ryoma’s Bequeathment” myth, and a fourth time alongside Gozuki during the Final Battle of Edo.

Do I need specific gear for the Mezuki rematch?

Not really. A build with Fire or Lightning damage and a full Ninjutsu Gauge from Evade timing is enough to make this rematch quick work.

Check out our other Nioh 3 guides on ingametor.com for more boss breakdowns, region walkthroughs, and builds while you keep pushing through Bakumatsu.