地ち方ほう都と市し

ち

ほ

う

と

し

Meanings

1

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.

In regional cities, it's hard to get by without a car.

彼かれは東とう京きょうを離はなれて地ち方ほう都と市しに移い住じゅうした。

He left Tokyo and moved to a provincial town.

大だい都と市し
大都市 means a large city or metropolis, while 地方都市 specifically refers to smaller cities in regional areas.
田舎いなか
田舎 means countryside or rural area, often with a more rustic connotation, whereas 地方都市 implies a city with some urban functions but outside major centers.

Compound of 地方 (region, locality) and 都市 (city). The term is straightforward and modern, with no obscure historical derivation.