In the Tohoku, Kanto and Kyushu regions far from the Kinai region, moderately unified villages were formed within a range larger than that of a soson (as a unit of manor or public land), and such villages were called goson (autonomous villages).
また、畿内から遠い東北・関東・九州では、惣村よりも広い範囲（荘園・公領単位）で、ゆるやかな村落結合が形成されたが、これを郷村（ごうそん）という。