Until the Meiji Era, the district was known as "Tsukama" but the pronunciation was changed to "Chikuma".
Chikuma District once encompassed the present municipalities of Matsumoto (excluding parts of Nagawa, Azusagawa and Azumi areas), Shiojiri, the areas of Tazawa, Hikari, and Kawate from Azumino, Higashichikuma District, Kiso District, and the areas of Yamaguchi, Magome, and Kamisaka areas in the city of Nakatsugawa in Gifu Prefecture.
The district acquired the Kiso Region from Ena District in Mino Province during the Kamakura Period.
The district seat is unknown but the city of Matsumoto is a possibility.
This Nagano Prefecture location article is a stub.