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.
Refers to the land of the dead itself, while 冥界下り is the act of descending there and returning.
Simply means the underworld; 冥界下り adds the notion of a round-trip journey.
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.