noun
regional city; provincial town
Refers to a city or town outside the major metropolitan areas (Tokyo, Osaka, etc.), often with a more local character and smaller scale.
地方都市では、車がないと生活しにくい。
In regional cities, it's hard to get by without a car.
彼は東京を離れて地方都市に移住した。
He left Tokyo and moved to a provincial town.
Compound of 地方 (region, locality) and 都市 (city). The term is straightforward and modern, with no obscure historical derivation.