katabasis; descent to the underworld
A mythological or literary term for a journey to the underworld and return, such as Orpheus or Izanagi. Used in academic or narrative contexts.
Greek mythology depicts Orpheus's katabasis.
Izanagi's descent to the underworld in Japanese mythology is known as a journey to Yomi.
Standard kanji spelling using 下り (descent).
Variant using 降り, also meaning descent; less common but still seen.
Compound of 冥界 (underworld) and 下り (descent). The term is a modern coinage for the mythological motif of katabasis.