Obuse (小布施町, Obuse-machi) is a town located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan.

[2] Per Japanese census data,[3] the population of Obuse has remained fairly stable over the past 40 years.

The area of present-day Obuse was part of ancient Shinano Province, and can be found as a place name in late Heian period records associated with a shōen associated with Emperor Go-Shirakawa.

In 1843, at the age of 83, the Japanese painter Hokusai traveled to Obuse at the invitation of a wealthy farmer, Takai Kozan where he stayed for several years.

The abundance of chestnuts in the area have made Obuse an attractive stop for tourists and art collectors in the heart of Nagano, creating a market for local woodworkers and artists.