Echigo Province(越後国,Echigo no kuni) was an old province in north-central Japan, on the shores of the Sea of Japan. It was sometimes called Esshū(越州), with Echizen and Etchū Provinces. Echigo and Kōzuke Province were known as the Jōetsu region. Today the area is part of Niigata Prefecture, which also includes the island which was the old Sado Province.