I'm planning an 11-day trip to Japan in spring 2009. I can't get the image out of my mind from that sequence in Kurosawa's film, "Dreams" that's set in the village with the watermills. Does a place like that exist in Japan?

At this point all I've got on my agenda are Tokyo & Kyoto, and would like to visit someplace other than large cities. I know there are numerous daytrip options from both cities, but am just wondering if a place like the one in the film actually exists.