far end of a province; region furthest from the capital
Archaic term from the Ritsuryō period, referring to the part of a province most distant from the capital (Kyoto). Contrasts with 道の口 (entrance to the province) and 道の中 (middle part).
In the Ritsuryō period, regions far from the capital were called 'michi no shiri'.
Archaic term; the kanji 後 is used here in the sense of 'rear' or 'far end'.
Variant spelling using 尻 ('buttocks/end'), emphasizing the 'far end' nuance.
Compound of 道 (michi, 'road/route') + の (no, possessive particle) + 後/尻 (shiri, 'rear/end'). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term follows the pattern of 道の口 and 道の中 used in ancient provincial administration.