Villagers at Mori no Ike live the language and culture of the 127 million people of contemporary Japan in a small, Japanese-inspired lakeside community. The course of each day is spent pursuing a series of community and cultural activities—both traditional and modern—including music, fashion, martial arts, traditional arts and anime. When it comes time to say sayonara, villagers will be surprised with how much Japanese they have acquired, all while enjoying their time learning it in the great North Woods.
Some Reasons for Learning Japanese
- Because you enjoy connecting with people. Learning Japanese will help you get the most out of international travel, improve current or future business relationships, and even get better acquainted with friends and neighbors at home.
- Because you want to prepare for your future. Knowing an Asian language is a great credential on any college or job application. And whether you want to pursue a career in technology, business, travel or art history, you’ll be amazed at how useful even basic Japanese skills can be.
- Because you’d like to understand your past. Whether you want to chat with your grandmother in her native tongue, or simply learn more about a fascinating culture with thousands of years of recorded history, Mori no Ike can help. Learning Japanese will give you a deeper appreciation for the world’s 127 million Japanese speakers — including the ones in your own family tree.
- Because you like having fun! Give your spirit of adventure free reign as you learn to navigate chop sticks and perform martial arts. Traditional Japanese activities, mixed with camping favorites like canoeing, swimming and marshmallow roasting, guarantee that every minute of your experience at Mori no Ike will be a treasured memory in the making.
About the Japanese Language
Japanese is the official language of Japan, a world economic power with exports ranging from comic books to automobiles. Although Japan is the only country in the world to have Japanese as its official language, 127 million people around the world speak Japanese. There are significant populations of Japanese speakers in the United States, Brazil, Taiwan, Korea and the Philippines. Because the Japanese language shares some characteristics with Korean and shares some written characters with Chinese, knowing Japanese can make it easier to learn other East Asian languages.
Download our “Why Learn Japanese?” poster here.
