Concordia Language Villages staff may speak a Village language, creatively teach culture, work and play hard. They also develop skills and qualities that will make them excellent employees in any field.
Mori no Ike 森の池
Japanese Language Village
About the Village
At Mori no Ike 森の池, our Japanese Language Village, you can experience both traditional and modern Japanese culture—even trend-setting Japanese lifestyles—all while learning and practicing your new language skills. You’ll experience an array of authentic cultural activities at Mori no Ike, from traditional music and crafts like taiko (drumming) and shodo (calligraphy) to martial arts and sado (tea ceremony). You’ll dine on traditional foods like udon and soba (noodles), tempura (battered meat, fish and vegetables) and gohan (rice). At Mori no Ike, you’ll be immersed in the culture of Japan while studying the unique language of Japan’s 130 million people.
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Life at Mori no Ike
Calligraphy
Culturally Appropriate Cuisine
Pottery Making
Origami (Paper Folding)
Friendships Form in the Great Outdoors
Custom Birchwood Nametags
Traditional Desserts
Mealtime Community Building
Kakigori (Snow Cones)
Maneki-neko (Lucky Cat)
Outdoor Language Learning
Experience Mori no Ike | 森の池
Upcoming Japanese Camps & Programs
Join us for a global learning vacation for the entire family—right here in Minnesota! Overnight family weeks and weekends are a great way to spend time together, discover new international foods, play games, make crafts, enjoy music and take part in some old-fashioned outdoor fun. And while you’re all busy having such a good time, together you’ll experience the wonder of speaking a new language through our fun and natural immersion environment. Invite friends, aunts, uncles and grandparents—or whatever family means to you! For more information on family programming, visit https://www.concordialanguagevillages.org/family-weeks-weekends. Please note that we have opened this Family Program to adults who wish to attend without minor children. Interested adults may register and pay the adult rate. All program participants, whether they attend with children or not, will participate in the same program schedule. Japanese language learners of all ages are welcome! All attendees, regardless of age, need to register individually for the Family Programs. Tuition is as follows: Adult participants: $435 each Youth participants: $235 each Participants ages 3 and under: Free All paying participants must pay a $50 registration fee to save a spot.
Registration closes October 01, 2026
Join us for a global learning adventure—right here in Minnesota! Overnight programs for adults and families are a great way to connect with others interested in language and culture, enjoy delicious international foods, and build your language skills through engaging small group classes and hands-on activities such as cooking, music, arts, and more. This program is open to individual adult participants as well as family groups. All program participants, whether they attend with children or not, will participate in the same program schedule. Japanese language learners of all ages and language levels are welcome! Adult participants: $435 each All paying participants must pay a $50 registration fee to save a spot.
Registration closes October 02, 2026
Government & Corporate Programs
A global outlook is important for success in the domestic and international arena. Concordia Language Villages offers customized corporate, government and military training programs to meet the specific needs of our clients.
Learn About Scholarship Opportunities
Need-based scholarships are available for Arabic summer youth immersion sessions through the Passport Fund. Scholarships are based on a family’s adjusted gross income, number of dependents and the length of the session.
Additionally, the Minnesota Office of Higher Education offers a $1,000 stipend for Minnesota students who qualify for free or reduced lunch at school.
Our Location: Mori no Ike
Two Locations, One Village!
First Half (Through July 18) — 11380 Turtle River Lake Road NE, Bemidji, MN 56601
Second Half (July 20 - August 22) — 4384 44th St NW, Hackensack, MN 56452
Meet Our Team
Read more about our professional staff at Mori no Ike, our Japanese Language Village.
Meredith Koyomi Hanson
Dean
Koyomi began learning Japanese as a villager at Mori no Ike, and has worked at Concordia Language Villages since 2003 in the Japanese and French Language Villages, as well as providing professional development to staff members from all languages. For her master's degree in Second Language Studies from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, Koyomi conducted research with villagers at Mori no Ike. During the school year, she teaches English, ESL and Japanese at a boarding school in the Northeast.
Jack Tamaki Shimuzu
Dean
Tamaki has worked with Concordia Language Villages since 2009 and has served as our Dean for Japanese programming during the second half of the summer since 2016. He holds a bachelor’s in East Asian Studies and Psychology from The College of William & Mary and a master’s in Japanese Linguistics from the University of Hawaii. During the school year Tamaki works full time as a Japanese language immersion teacher at a public elementary school in his home state of Virginia.
Kaylene Hideko Ruwart
Co-Dean
Kaylene Hideko Ruwart is co-dean of Mori no Ike (first half), the Japanese Language Village. Hideko started learning Japanese in the late 90s armed with a dictionary, highlighters and a whole lot of Sailor Moon songs. Through the years, she has been a villager, counselor, credit teacher, credit facilitator and assistant dean, as well as the unofficial Official Graphic Designer for Mori (and creator of mascot Kouta). Outside of the Concordia Language Villages, she works for college readiness programs AVID and TRIO Upward Bound and occasionally does graphic design and illustration work. When not working, she’s usually found reading sci fi-fantasy novels, writing one or drinking tea.