noun
land of the dead; netherworld; Hades
In Japanese mythology, the dark, polluted underworld where the dead dwell, often contrasted with the heavenly realm of the gods. The term is deeply rooted in Shinto and Kojiki narratives.
See also: 黄泉
イザナミは黄泉の国で腐った姿をイザナギに見られてしまった。
Izanami was seen in her decayed form by Izanagi in the land of the dead.
古事
The Kojiki records the story of Izanagi fleeing back from the netherworld.
冥界 is a broader, more generic term for the underworld or realm of the dead, used in both Buddhist and secular contexts, while 黄泉の国 specifically refers to the Shinto mythological land of the dead.
The reading よみ is of uncertain origin, possibly related to 夜 (yo, 'night') or 黄泉 (yomi, 'underworld'). The kanji 黄泉 literally mean 'yellow springs,' a Chinese-derived term for the underworld, applied as jukujikun to the native Japanese word.