Mikage

Mikage is a long-absent land deity who has been away from his shrine for more than two decades.

Despite his disappearance, he remains deeply influential through the responsibilities and relationships he leaves behind.

He shows up in Nanami Momozono’s life when she has lost both her home and family support.

Moved by her circumstances, he grants her his shrine as a place to live.

At the same time, he transfers his title and duties as land god to Nanami.

This sudden inheritance pulls her into the world of spirits, yokai, and divine obligations that he once oversaw.

Mikage appears kind and generous on the surface, offering sanctuary and a new life to Nanami.

However, his generosity has strings attached, since it also saddles her with the demanding role of land god in his place.

He has a notable and ironic quirk: although he is a land god, he strongly dislikes dogs.

His dislike is so strong that he will not even accept protective guardian dog spirits, which are traditionally associated with shrines.

Rather than follow tradition and employ guardian dog statues or spirits, Mikage relies on a fox familiar instead.

This unconventional choice highlights both his eccentricity and his flexible attitude toward divine customs.

As a land god, Mikage was originally responsible for protecting his territory, maintaining spiritual balance, and answering the needs of local humans and spirits.

By disappearing from his shrine for over twenty years, he leaves a vacuum that shapes the story’s main conflicts and developments.

When he meets Nanami, he effectively appoints her as his successor.

She inherits not just the shrine, but also the power, status, and burdens that come with being a land deity.

Mikage’s decision is both a rescue and a test.

Nanami must adapt to divine duties, forge contracts with familiars, and gain the trust of spirits who once served Mikage.

Because he dislikes dogs and will not accept guardian dog spirits, Mikage chooses Tomoe, a wild fox spirit, as his familiar.

Tomoe serves as a substitute for the traditional guardian lion-dog figures often associated with shrines.

Tomoe’s role under Mikage is to act as protector, attendant, and enforcer of the shrine’s will.

After Mikage leaves and Nanami becomes the new land god, Tomoe’s bond and loyalty become central to the story’s emotional and spiritual core.

Mikage’s choice of Tomoe over conventional shrine guardians reflects his unconventional thinking.

It also sets up the complex relationships and character growth that unfold once Mikage is no longer physically present at the shrine.