mountain village region; rural settlement area
Refers to the inhabited area of a mountain village, including houses and surrounding farmland, as opposed to the wilder mountain slopes (里山). Often used in geographical or ecological contexts.
See also: 里山 (さとやま)
In the mountain village areas of this region, traditional terraced rice fields remain.
A variety of plants and animals inhabit the boundary between the village area and the managed woodlands.
mountain villages and surrounding agricultural and forest areas
Compound of 里 (sato, 'village') and 地 (chi, 'land, area'). The term is used in contrast with 里山 (satoyama, 'village mountain/woodland').