Chikuhoku

 is a village located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. , the village had an estimated population of 4,688 in 1873 households, and a population density of 47 persons per km². The total area of the village is .
Geography.
Chikuhoku is located in the center of Nagano Prefecture in the Matsumoto Basin. Higashijo Dam and Onikuma Dam are located in Chikuhoku.
Demographics.
Per Japanese census data, the population of Chikuhoku has been declining over the past 50 years.
Climate.
The village has a climate characterized by characterized by cool and humid summers, and cold winters (Köppen climate classification "Dfa". The average annual temperature in Chikuhoku is 9.6 °C. The average annual rainfall is 1227 mm with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around 22.8 °C, and lowest in January, at around -3.0 °C.
History.
The area of present-day Chikuhoku was part of ancient Shinano Province. Most of the area was under the control of Matsumoto Domain during the Edo period. The villages of Honjō, Sakakita, and Sakai were created with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. The village of Chikuhoku was incorporated on October 11, 2005 by a merger of the three villages.
Education.
Chikuhoku has three public elementary schools and one public middle school operated by the village government, and one middle school operated jointly between Chikuhoku and neighboring Omi village. The village does not have a high school.