先輩 · senpai · sempai
A senpai, not a sensei
In Japan, a senpai (先輩, also written “sempai”) is someone a step ahead of you — at school, at work, in a club. Not a teacher at the front of the room, but the friend who has been where you are and tells you how things really work.
That is what we want to be for your Japanese. Textbooks teach the polite, careful version of the language. Manga shows you the version people actually speak. We sit between the two and explain the gap.
Senpai Japanese is run by Ken from Kisarazu, Chiba, Japan. Ken is the voice of “Ken’s Corner” in every workbook.
Our brands
- Senpai Workbooks — manga-based PDF workbooks for self-study.
- Senpai Class — our main service: an online Japanese class where we watch anime together, then learn the Japanese in it. Sign-ups open soon.
- Senpai Club — a members’ community. Later.
Come learn with us
Join the online class, or tell us which anime or manga you want to learn with.