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Major city · Japan

Chikuma千曲市

One night in Togura Kamiyamada Onsen: soak, sleep, walk the river. Two nights if you want Obasute and the apricot village without rushing.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
JPY
Best months
Apr–May, Oct–Nov
avoid Jul–Aug (hot and humid), mid-August Obon
Airports
NGO · HND
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 5
  • East Asia ↗Every border in East Asia is a full international border, Hong Kong and Macau included: an entry permission for one never covers the next.
  • East Asia ↗Ferries between Korea, Japan and China cancel in rough seas and typhoons; keep a flight or a spare day behind every sea leg.
  • Japan ↗IC cards (ICOCA/Suica) are topped up with cash at station machines.
  • Japan ↗Smoking while walking is banned in most city centres; use designated areas.
  • Japan ↗Shinkansen bags 160–250 cm (L+W+H) need a seat reserved with the oversized-baggage area.

Chikuma is a small Nagano city of about 59,000 people, formed in 2003 from Koshoku in the north and the onsen towns of Togura and Kamiyamada in the south. It is a hot-spring stop, not a sightseeing city: seven public bathhouses, ryokan, a river valley flat enough to cycle, and the Obasute moon-viewing rice terraces. Most travellers pass through on the Shinano Railway between Nagano and Matsumoto.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Chikuma, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee¥400–700 (≈ US$3–5)
  • Street or quick mealNoodle soup (soba or ramen)¥800–1,300 (≈ US$6–9)
  • Beerdraught in an izakaya / can at a konbini¥500–750 (≈ US$4–6)¥250–350 (≈ US$2–3)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week¥2,000–4,000 (≈ US$14–30)
  • Museum or sight ticketPublic bathhouse entryZuisho is the priciest and best equipped.¥250–650 (≈ US$2–5)
  • Budget bedHostel or guesthouse bed, a night, per person¥3,500 (≈ US$25)
  • Mid-range bedRyokan double room with dinner and breakfast, a night, per room¥32,000 (≈ US$250)
  • High-end bedRyokan double room with dinner and breakfast, a night, per room¥60,000 (≈ US$450)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget ¥6,000 (≈ US$45) · Mid ¥12,000 (≈ US$85) · High ¥24,000 (≈ US$170)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Togura Kamiyamada OnsenObasute moon-viewing rice paddiesAnzu no Sato apricot blossomsMori Shogunzuka keyhole tombChikuma River cycling
Airports
NGO Chubu Centrair (Nagoya) (Rail via Nagoya and Matsumoto, or an Alpico bus to Nagano; check current schedules) · HND Tokyo Haneda (Shinkansen to Ueda, then the Shinano Railway; about 2 h to Togura)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Chikuma: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

5°C

−3°C

6 rd

Feb

6°C

−3°C

6 rd

Mar

11°C

0°C

8 rd

Apr

18°C

6°C

8 rd

May

23°C

11°C

9 rd

Jun

26°C

16°C

11 rd

Jul

30°C

20°C

12 rd

Aug

31°C

21°C

10 rd

Sep

26°C

17°C

11 rd

Oct

20°C

10°C

8 rd

Nov

14°C

4°C

6 rd

Dec

8°C

−1°C

6 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The Shinano Railway runs north–south through the city (Yashirokokomae, Yashiro, Chikuma, Togura), fares about ¥190–240 between stations. Local buses reach most districts but run less than once an hour, so pick up a timetable. The Chikuma River valley is flat and good for cycling; the riverside path runs the length of the city and bikes can be hired locally.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Nagano

go

Door to door: About 40–50 min

Shinano Railway from Togura or Yashiro to Nagano Station

Zenko-ji temple and the city's food streets; trains about every 30 min.

Matsumoto

go

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min

Shinano Railway to Shinonoi, then JR Shinonoi line

Original castle keep; a full day.

Ueda

go

Door to door: About 40 min

Shinano Railway north to Ueda

Castle park and the Shinkansen connection toward Tokyo.

Hakuba

overnight

Door to door: 2.5–3 h

Shinano Railway to Nagano, then bus or rail onward

Too far for a comfortable return day; sleep there.

Azumino

caution

Door to door: About 2 h

Shinano Railway to Matsumoto, then the Oito line

Worth it only with an early start.

Karuizawa

go

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min

Shinano Railway to Ueda, then Shinkansen

Cool upland town; good on a hot day.

Komagane

overnight

Door to door: 2.5–3 h

Rail via Matsumoto or Nagano, then the Iida line

Central Alps access; not a day trip.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Togura Kamiyamada Onsen

The onsen core: ryokan, seven public bathhouses, footbath on Chuo-dori, walkable to Togura Station.

Togura Station area

Cheaper, practical base on the Shinano Railway; 200 m to the sake museum.

Yashiro

North end near the expressway bus stop and the history museum; best if you arrive by highway bus.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
¥6,000–10,000 (≈ US$45–70) excl. bed
Mid
¥10,000–17,000 (≈ US$70–120) excl. bed
High
¥17,000 (≈ US$120)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Ryokan double room with dinner and breakfast1 × 1 night × ¥32,000¥32,000
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × ¥12,000¥24,000
Shinano Railway, Nagano to Togura, one way2 × ¥390 · check¥780
Public bathhouse entry, one visit2 × ¥350 · check¥700
eSIM, about a week of data2 × ¥2,500¥5,000
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge¥6,250
Trip total≈ ¥34,370 per person per day, bed included¥68,730≈ US$500

2026 estimate in yen; flights and rail passes excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee¥400–700 (≈ US$3–5)
Noodle soup (soba or ramen)¥800–1,300 (≈ US$6–9)
Beer: draught in an izakaya / can at a konbini¥500–750 (≈ US$4–6) / ¥250–350 (≈ US$2–3)
Public bathhouse entryZuisho is the priciest and best equipped.¥250–650 (≈ US$2–5)
Shinano Railway ride between city stations¥190–240 (≈ US$2)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week¥2,000–4,000 (≈ US$14–30)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Very safe. The real risks are winter ice on the hill roads, infrequent buses that strand you after dark, and onsen etiquette: wash first, no swimwear, tattoos may bar entry.
  • Local buses run less than once an hour on most lines: check the timetable before you rely on them.
  • Kurashikan Museum is closed for repair until Jan 2027.
  • Some onsen and museums close one day a week or on the 16th of the month: check before you go.
  • English information at smaller temples and the history museum is minimal.

Emergency numbers

Police
110
Fire and ambulance
119

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Chikuma千曲市

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

ここまでお願いしますTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police110
  • Fire and ambulance119

Embassy

No embassy in Chikuma; embassies are in Tokyo, with consulates in Nagano and Matsumoto (check).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Shinano Railway Nagano → Togura: about ¥390 (≈ US$3), about 45 min (check)
  • Shinano Railway Togura → Matsumoto: about ¥2,300 (≈ US$16) via Shinonoi, about 1 h 15 min (check)
  • Public bathhouse entry: ¥250–650 (≈ US$2–5) (check)

Say or show

  • すみません — Excuse me / Sorry (sumimasen)
  • ありがとうございます — Thank you (arigatō gozaimasu)
  • いくらですか？ — How much is it? (ikura desu ka)
  • カードで払えますか？ — Can I pay by card? (kādo de haraemasu ka)
  • トイレはどこですか？ — Where is the toilet? (toire wa doko desu ka)
  • 大人一枚お願いします — One adult, please (bathhouse) (otona ichimai onegaishimasu)

Onsen rule: wash and rinse at the seated showers before entering the bath, keep hair out of the water, no swimwear, no towels in the tub.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Chikuma. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–May, Oct–Nov · avoid Jul–Aug (hot and humid), mid-August Obon · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 7 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for NGO and HND: last-train cutoffs, bus fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: Togura Station and the sake museum, Kamiyamada onsen core, Joyama and Arato Castle, Obasute and Yawata.
  3. Place pages with verified hours (Zuisho, Kamenoyu, Chikurin no Yu, Hakuchoen, Mori Shogunzuka tomb) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Obasute moon-viewing and apricot-blossom timing fixtures so seasonal gates can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Japan

Sources