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
Summer 2027 Schedule
Session descriptions coming soon. Registration opens Oct. 15.
| Language | Session Type | Session Category | Ages | Start Date | End Date |
| Japanese | Day Camp | One Week | Ages 11-15 | 6/14/2027 | 6/18/2027 |
| Japanese | Youth | One Week | Ages 8-18 | 6/14/2027 | 6/19/2027 |
| Japanese | Youth Credit | Two Week | Grades 9-12 | 6/21/2027 | 7/3/2027 |
| Japanese | Youth Credit | Four Week | Grades 9-12 | 6/21/2027 | 7/17/2027 |
| Japanese | Youth | Two Week | Ages 10-15 | 6/21/2027 | 7/3/2027 |
| Japanese | Youth Credit | Two Week | Grades 9-12 | 7/5/2027 | 7/17/2027 |
| Japanese | Youth | Two Week | Ages 13-18 | 7/5/2027 | 7/17/2027 |
| Japanese | Apprentice | Four Week | Ages 16-18 | 7/19/2027 | 8/14/2027 |
| Japanese | Youth Credit | Two Week | Grades 9-12 | 7/19/2027 | 7/31/2027 |
| Japanese | Youth Credit | Four Week | Grades 9-12 | 7/19/2027 | 8/14/2027 |
| Japanese | Youth | Two Week | Ages 10-18 | 7/19/2027 | 7/31/2027 |
| Japanese | Youth | One Week | Ages 9-13 | 8/2/2027 | 8/7/2027 |
| Japanese | Youth | Two Week | Ages 10-18 | 8/2/2027 | 8/14/2027 |
| Japanese | Youth | One Week | Ages 9-13 | 8/9/2027 | 8/14/2027 |
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
Minimum registration fee: $150 Our one-week programs are perfect for villagers who are ready to experience an overnight camp but can't fit a longer program into busy summer schedules, or aren't quite ready for a longer time away from home. These programs provide an opportunity to explore the language through small and large group learning activities and immersive daily experiences. Plus, you'll get to do all the fun arts, crafts, games and cultural exploration of the Language Village camp experience, along with traditional summer camp activities like campfires, singing songs, and making new friends. These programs welcome language learners of all levels.
Registration closes May 17, 2027
This session will not only focus on Japanese language skills, but also on various types of Japanese art ranging from traditional calligraphy and flower arrangement to modern forms of mass media like anime and film. Villagers will be encouraged to expand their creative horizons along with their linguistic ability in order to learn new skills and create art that will deepen their understanding of Japanese language and culture. This program is accessible to all language levels, but villagers ideally should have an interest in creating art along with learning about the history and scope of Japanese art. Minimum registration fee $400 Our two-week high school credit program allows villagers to earn a semester's worth of high school credit in just two weeks! In addition to classes with formal language instruction, credit villagers can choose from a variety of elective activities, as well as classic summer camp favorites like campfires, singing songs, and more - all in the language of the Village. These programs welcome language learners of all levels. Fully accredited by Cognia, credit programs include standardized curriculums, assessments, and transcripts to meet your local school system’s requirements. Please check with your school district in advance to ensure that credit from Cognia will be accepted if you wish to have the credit reflected on your villager’s high school transcript. High school credit sessions are designed for villagers entering grades 9 and up in Fall 2027.
Registration closes May 24, 2027
Minimum registration fee $300 Our two-week programs are our most popular, providing an opportunity to become truly immersed in Village life! Villagers build and enhance their language skills through small and large group learning activities, and by hearing and using the language - with the encouragement of our supportive staff - throughout their daily activities. By engaging in a variety of music, arts, sports and classic summer camp activities like campfires, singing songs, and more, villagers can increase their confidence, improve their language ability, and grow to become courageous global citizens. These programs welcome language learners of all levels.
Registration closes May 24, 2027
Learn About Scholarship Opportunities
Need-based scholarships are available for Japanese 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.
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.