noun
Esshū; the three former provinces of Echizen, Etchū and Echigo
Historical collective name for the three provinces of Echizen, Etchū, and Echigo in pre-modern Japan. Used in historical or geographical contexts.
越州は、越前・越中・越後の三国を指す古い呼び名です。
Esshū is an old name referring to the three provinces of Echizen, Etchū, and Echigo.
Compound of 越 (Etsu, from the names of the three provinces) and 州 (shū, 'province'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but it is a conventional collective term.