Snow country (Japan) Snow country (Japan) Snow country (雪国 "yukiguni"; also, more prosaically, 豪雪地帯 "gōsetsu chitai" ["heavy snow area"]) refers to areas in Japan characterized by heavy, long-lasting snowfalls. The rather poetic can refer to any place with heavy or deep snows and is generally understood as a reference to the Sea of Japan side of Honshū (Japan's main island) and the area encompassed by the Japanese Alps, a series of mountain ranges that make up the island's backbone. In its broadest meaning, "snow country" means the belt along the Sea of Japan from Yamaguchi (in particular, Shimane) in the south to Honshū's
Phetchabun Province and 1261 villages ("muban"). The word "phetcha" originates from the Sanskrit word "vajra" meaning "diamond" (or weapon of Indra), and the word "bun" from Sanskrit "purna" meaning "full", "perfect" or "whole". Hence the name of the province literally means "perfect diamond". Initially, the province was called "Phe-cha-buth" as "Phuenchapura", which means the city that has plenty of crops. The reason is that the province is very fertile and has ample resources. Because of the fertility of the land, Phetchabun has always been agriculturally productive area. Phetchabun was established by two kingdoms: the Sukhothai Kingdom, and the Ayutthaya Period of the