Questions about example sentences with, and the definition and usage of "Oze"

A: × When I came to the Oze iwakura ski resort, I was a ski beginner.
✓ When I first went to the Oze Iwakura ski resort, I was a ski beginner.

× So it felt very vast.
✓ So, it felt very vast, but today, I was surprised because it was far smaller than I had thought.

× Today, I was surprised because it was far smaller than I had thought.

A: "Straddles" is similar to 跨がる, so it wouldn't work here.

"Connects" doesn't make any sense.

"Covers" would mean that the three prefectures are *all* marshland.

Another one I might use is "stretches across", but "spans" is the best I think.