Reestablishing a sound environment in rural areas has become one of the most important environmental issues in Japan, not only in rural policy but also in national land policy. Physically speaking, regeneration of natural ecosystems, reestablishment of sound material flows, and the design of rural landscapes are important areas of research and practice. Another important issue in the management of rural areas, particularly in the mountainous areas that cover ~61% of the country, is the preparation of the landscape for urban dwellers. This paper considers methods for improving rural environments. The modeling of ideal eco-villages with sound natural environment, low input and sustainable material flow, and maintenance of villages through urban and rural interaction is considered. Three different types of typical eco-village models are designed in urban fringe areas, in typical rural areas and in remote mountainous areas. Further, a case-study for the search of reality in adopting such models is surveyed in Chosei-gun, Chiba prefecture as a case of an eco-village in a typical rural areas.