Mikenu no mikoto (御毛沼命)
Mikenu no mikoto was a member of Japanese Imperial family, who is mentioned in the Japanese Mythology. In "Nihonshoki" (Chronicles of Japan), his name is written as Mikeiri no Mikoto (三毛入野命) or Mikeno no Mikoto (三毛野命).
He was a son born between Ugayafukiaezu and the daughter of Watatsumi (tutelary of the sea), Tamayoribime, and he was the older brother of the first Emperor, Emperor Jimmu. According to the "Kojiki" (The Records of Ancient Matters) and the main text and the first addendum to the Nihonshoki, he was the third son, but the second addendum mentions he was the second son and the fourth addendum describes him as the fourth son, however the third addendum to the Nihonshoki did not mention him. His brothers were Itsuse no mikoto (Hikoitsuse no mikoto), Inahi no mikoto, Wakamikenu no mikoto(Emperor Jinmu).
In the Kojiki, the only description about him is that he crossed the sea over the waves to Tokoyo (the perpetual country). According to the Nihonshoki, he joined Jinmu tosei (Eastern expedition of the Emperor Jinmu) with the troops of his brothers, however, when they were hit by a storm on the way to Kumano, he resented the situation, and said, 'my mother and my aunt are Watatsumi (tutelaries of the sea), why on earth we had to be blocked by the ocean waves,' and went to Tokoyo crossing the sea over the waves.
According to the legend handed down in Takachiho-cho, Miyazaki Prefecture, Mikeiri no mikoto (Mikenu no Mikoto) did not go to Tokoyo (that means he went to the heaven), but he got lost from his brothers and retuned to the departure place, Takachiho. In Takachiho, an evil deity called 'Kihachi' was troubling the people, and Mikeiri no mikoto defeated the deity and put Takachiho under control. Mikeiri no mikoto is the enshrined deity of Takachiho-jinja Shrine, and it is one of the gracious deities collectively called 'Jissha-daimyojin'(ten gracious deities).
In his name 'Mikenu,' 'mike' is said to mean the food, and 'nu' is said to mean '主''Dominus.'
In this way, 'Mikeiri' can be interpreted as '食物に神霊が入る''the spirit entering into the food.'