The first Mori no Ike Japanese program was offered in the summer of 1988. The location of the first site was Giant's Ridge Resort in Biwabik, MN. In 1992, it moved to Lakeside Camp in Dent, MN for the first half of the summer and Camp White Earth near Callaway, MN for the second half. The latter  was only home to the Japanese Language Village for one year. A second site made an appearance again for a year in 1994, this time in Waubun, Minnesota. From 1995, Dent became the single site used for the full summer (although the program was still managed in two sections, with a distinct staff hired for each half of the summer.)

Due to the popularity of Japanese language in the US, enrollment numbers have increased, resulting in the expansion of Mori no Ike programs. In 2000, the Credit Abroad program to Japan was started. In 2005, Mori no Ike became a multiple site Village again with the addition of Camp Minne-wa-kan in Cass Lake, MN. In 2006, this additional site was moved to the Audubon Center in Sandstone, MN. 

Deans

Ann "Junko" McCarthy (5 years)
-Biwabik, 1988-91 
-Dent, 1992

Patricia "Murasaki" Thornton (6 years)

-Camp Lakeside, 1991 
-Waubun, 1992

-Dent first-half, 1993-95 and 1997

Karla “Yukari” Pratt (8 years)

-Dent second-half, 1993, 1995-97

-Waubun, 1994

-Dent first-half 1998-2000

Mark ”Kenji” Chen (1 year)

-Dent first-half, 1996 

Thomas "Shigeru" Stevens (3 years)

-Dent second-half, 1998-2000