Many of the 48 hamlets of Sanpoku-machi are scattered along the town's 26 kilometers of coastline. Mountain forests account for 93 % of the town's total land area. The town also has five fishing ports, and is the top salmon producer in Niigata Prefecture. The town's abundant natural resources have given it ample opportunity to develop into a major tourist destination.
山北町四十八聚落星星點點分布在長達二十六公里的海岸沿線上，境內山林佔百分之九十三，還擁有五個漁港，鮭魚產量是新潟縣第一多，豐富的自然資源使山北町有極佳條件成為觀光發展重鎮。