Villagers at Mori no Ike do not lack for things to do, and particularly new things to try from Japan’s abundance of both traditional and contemporary arts and activities.
Activities at Mori no Ike
At Mori no Ike, you can experience both traditional and modern Japanese culture—even trend-setting Japanese lifestyles—all while learning and practicing your new language skills. After all, there’s no better way to learn a new language than to incorporate new words and phrases into your daily conversation. It’s even better when you can use them while engaged in fun and interesting new activities.
And at Mori no Ike, there are plenty of authentic cultural activities from which to choose. Perhaps the best known of those outside of Japan are the martial arts. Martial arts are an important part of Japanese culture, encompassing as they do, cultural, physical, moral and spiritual dimensions. Villagers at Mori no Ike will be introduced to a number of them, including aikido, judo, karate or kendo, though exactly which ones will be offered each summer depends on the expertise of that year’s staff.
Mori no Ike villagers will also be encouraged to try their hand at traditional Japanese creative arts, particularly origami (paper folding), ikebana (flower arranging), shodo (calligraphy) or sumi-e (ink painting) and even raku-style pottery! Meanwhile, other villagers are introduced the centuries-old practice of さどう (sadou・tea ceremony) in our very own tea pavilion.
Just because you’re at Japanese language camp doesn’t mean you have to miss out on traditional camp activities. Counselors will make sure you find time for outdoor sports and games, including Japanese water-passing relays and はし (hashi・chopstick) races. Our soccer field is also used for a number of traditional Japanese games such as つなひき (tsunahiki・tug of war ), おにごっこ (onigokko・tag), だるまさんがころんだ (Daruma-san ga koronda・similar to “Red Light, Green Light”), and あひるあひるがちょう (ahiru ahiru gachoo・duck, duck, goose). And of course, what would summer camp be without singing around a campfire, complete with time for s’mores.
Food at Mori no Ike
The culinary arts staff at Mori no Ike excels at creating menus combining familiar American flavors with adventurous and nutritious Japanese fare. Among the many traditional dishes that you will soon be at home with are udon and soba (noodles), gohan (rice), miso soup, tenpura, shake (salmon), and karaage or nikujaga (dishes with chicken or beef). Beyond mealtimes, you can try treats like Pocky from the Village Store, visit the パン屋さん (panyasan・bakery) or try ice-cold かき氷 (kakigori・shaved ice)!
P.S. Don’t worry about the hashi (chopsticks): you’ll get the hang of them in no time.
Dietary Restrictions
If you have food allergies, are vegetarian, or have other special dietary needs, just let us know. The chefs at Mori no Ike will be happy to provide authentic and delicious Japanese meals that suit your needs, and your counselors will be there to help you.
