How to Watch Japanese TV in the US & Abroad With a VPN in 2025: Stream Japanese TV Channels
You don’t need to miss out on content from your favorite Japanese TV channels while traveling. Read on to find out how to watch Japanese TV in the U.S. and abroad with the use of a VPN.
When you travel overseas, finding online content to stream from your home country can seem challenging. Don’t despair — with a bit of know-how, you can stream Japanese TV content from anywhere. In this guide, we’ll explain how to watch Japanese TV in the U.S. and abroad with a VPN.
If you’re spending some time abroad, you might find that several of the sites you use to watch Japanese TV online are blocked in the country you’ve traveled to. This happens because streaming sites and services enforce regional restrictions — also known as geoblocks — to ensure that only those in Japan can access them.
Japanese streaming platforms offer unique content libraries that differ significantly from their international counterparts. With exclusive shows and movies that aren’t available anywhere else, a VPN is essential for accessing this content from abroad.
By connecting to a reputable VPN like our number one recommendation, NordVPN, you can get a Japanese IP address and watch Japanese TV channels online from wherever you are. This guide includes a tutorial on how to do this, so stay tuned for more.
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10/01/2024
We recalibrated the VPN positions after thorough reassessment of each service.
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02/12/2025 Facts checked
We updated the article to provide extra details on our recommended providers and the importance of using a VPN for streaming in Japan.
How to Watch Japanese TV in the US: Where Can I Find Japanese Content Online?
There are plenty of places to find Japanese content online, including Hulu, TELASA and Crunchyroll. You’re sure to be spoiled for choice in terms of the streaming services you can use to find Japanese content.
TELASA is a Japanese streaming service with on-demand TV content, and it has a two-week free trial. In addition, TVer is one of Japan’s largest free streaming platforms, offering content from major networks like TV Asahi, TV Tokyo and Fuji TV.
Just bear in mind that some Japanese streaming services may have payment restrictions, which means it’s possible that you’ll need a Japanese payment method to sign up. You may also need to enter a Japanese address and postcode, which you can find online for major cities like Tokyo or Osaka.
Fans of anime can sign up for Crunchyroll, which is widely available and offers a free trial. If you have an account with streaming giant Netflix or Amazon Prime Video, you can access the Japanese libraries on these services with a VPN — we’ll show you how to do that further down.
How Can I Get Japanese TV for Free?
You can watch Japanese TV for free by accessing a TV channel’s website. These often host live or on-demand TV content, and some official sites will direct you to another website to watch content. If you’re outside Japan, you can connect to a Japanese server on a VPN to gain access.
We’ve tested out some of the most popular Japanese TV sites and compiled all the information into the below table. Please note that free websites are typically ad-based.
Channel | Content | VPN Required | English Subtitles | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Nittere Free | On-demand TV | Also known as “Nippon TV” | ||
TVer | TV Asahi TV Tokyo Fuji TV Nittere Free TBS | Japanese postcode required | ||
TV Tokyo | Variety TV | Some content available via TVer | ||
TBS | Variety TV | N/A | ||
Abema TV | Live TV | N/A | ||
NHK World-Japan | TV shows Japanese TV News Documentaries | * | Content in various languages | |
TV Japan Live | Various local channels | * | N/A |
If you’re looking specifically for anime series, refer to our guide on where to watch Anime for free. We have compiled a list of platforms that can be your potential options for watching your favorite anime shows without needing to pay.
How Does a VPN Help You Unblock Japanese Content Online?
A VPN helps you unblock Japanese content online by sending your data through an encrypted tunnel to make you anonymous and changes your IP address to one in the country you connected to, thereby giving you access to online content in that country. Therefore, if you want to access geoblocked Japanese content, you’ll need to connect to a Japanese virtual private network (VPN) server.
TV websites are often geoblocked, which means you can only access them in countries that have the distribution rights for the content. For example, you need a VPN to access streaming site TVer from outside Japan because it’s only available in Japan; the same goes for many of the websites listed above.
Another factor to take note of is that major streaming platforms like Netflix have different libraries, and these are country-specific. For example, if you’re in the U.S., you will have access to the U.S. Netflix library when you log in. The U.S. library may host some of the same content that you can get on Netflix Japan, but some content will be unavailable or different.
How to Watch Japanese Shows & Movies on Netflix
Changing your Netflix library is very simple — all you need to do is connect to a VPN server in the country with the library you want to access to, in this case, a Japanese server. Then, you can log in to your Netflix account as normal to stream Japanese TV shows and movies. Bear in mind that the subtitle and audio options may vary.
The great thing about this is that you don’t need to limit yourself to just one Netflix library — VPNs have servers in a wide variety of countries, so you can explore the multitude of international content on offer simply by connecting to different servers.
How to Watch Japanese Channels Online With a VPN
You can start streaming Japanese TV content with a VPN on any site or streaming platform you want but, for the purpose of this tutorial, we’ll be using TVer — which hosts content from various channels — as an example. We’ll also use our top streaming VPN recommendation, NordVPN.
- Get a VPN
First, head over to NordVPN’s website and choose a plan. You can get up to a 72% discount, risk-free because it’s covered by the 30-day money-back guarantee.
- Download and Install the VPN
When you’ve signed up, follow the prompts to download and install the VPN. If you can’t see any prompts, look for a “download” tab on the website.
- Connect to a Japanese Server
Open the VPN’s app and select a Japanese server. Hit the country button.
- Open TVer
Open TVer or the site you want to access and start streaming Japanese TV content.
The 3 Best VPNs for Watching Japanese TV
To make sure you can start watching Japanese TV from overseas without a hitch, you’ll need a secure and reputable VPN with Japanese servers. Here are our top recommendations if you’re feeling a bit stuck.
1. NordVPN — Best VPN for Watching Japanese TV


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NordVPN is our first recommendation because it’s got fantastic speeds (check out our best fast VPN post for more on this) and a nifty desktop interface with an easy-to-navigate world map design. It also offers a smart DNS feature that lets you unblock Japanese content on devices that don’t support VPN apps directly, such as smart TVs and gaming consoles.
For users in regions with strict VPN restrictions, NordVPN’s new NordWhisper protocol helps bypass VPN blocking without revealing VPN traffic signatures, making it easier to access Japanese content from anywhere. It also clearly marks its virtual server locations, so you can make informed decisions about connecting to its physical and virtual Japanese servers.
NordVPN’s mobile app interface can be awkward to navigate, though. However, its advanced features, such as ad and malware blocking, more than make up for it. It even has double VPN connections to provide extra security when streaming, routing your traffic through two different servers for enhanced privacy.
It’s our choice for the best VPN service, so consider giving it a go with its 30-day money-back guarantee. Our NordVPN review has more extensive information if you want to dig deeper into our top recommendation.
2. Surfshark — Best Cheap VPN for Watching Japanese TV


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Surfshark is a highly capable and highly affordable VPN. It offers an ad blocker, high speeds and can unblock most streaming sites without a hitch. It even comes with unlimited simultaneous connections so you can share your account with friends and family. The only thing that keeps it from reaching NordVPN’s level is that it offers some of its advanced features at a higher pricing tier.
Still, if a budget VPN is what you need, you can’t get any better than Surfshark. Costing just $2.19 per month on a two-year commitment, it sets you back less than a cup of coffee monthly. Plus, it has a 30-day refund guarantee in case you get cold feet. Read our full Surfshark review for more details.
3. ExpressVPN — Best Beginner-Friendly VPN for Watching Japanese TV


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ExpressVPN is one of our favorites here at Cloudwards, and it’s easy to see why. It’s fast enough that you don’t notice it running, it can unblock almost any website, blocks ads, and it even has its own password manager. Plus, it’s one of the easiest VPNs to use, thanks to its one-button design.
ExpressVPN utilizes RAM-only servers that automatically wipe all data when they’re powered off, ensuring your streaming activity remains completely private. As an added bonus, ExpressVPN has recently implemented quantum-resistant encryption to future-proof your streaming security.
However, this premium VPN experience comes at a premium price. At $6.66 per month, it is one of the most expensive VPNs we’ve reviewed, but it’s still one of our top recommendations. Its quality is matched by few, as you can see for yourself by trying it out using its monthlong refund window. Our full ExpressVPN review tells all about the service.
Can I Use a Free VPN to Watch Japanese TV Online?
You can use free VPNs to watch Japanese TV online, but some free VPNs aren’t private or secure. An academic project by the University of Tsukuba called VPN Gate also offers free Japanese servers, but we don’t recommend it for streaming as its volunteer-based network can be unreliable and poses potential privacy risks.
Japan’s strict copyright laws can result in significant penalties for unauthorized streaming, with fines of up to two million yen and potential jail time, so it’s crucial to use a secure VPN service when accessing Japanese content online.
For streaming Japanese TV and using services like Netflix Japan, we recommend Proton VPN, a secure free service with Japanese servers. Proton VPN gives you unlimited access to its free servers, but your options are limited to Japan, the Netherlands and the U.S.
If you’d like to explore more streaming sites from around the world, you may be better off going with one of its paid plans or one of the providers mentioned above. Check out our Proton VPN review to learn more.
Final Thoughts
There’s no need to let geoblocking stop you from enjoying TV Japan-style. You can easily watch Japanese TV shows and use Japanese streaming services from anywhere with a reliable VPN that has Japanese servers, such as NordVPN. If NordVPN seems interesting to you, you can check it out risk-free and claim a refund within 30 days if you’re not satisfied.
Have you chosen a VPN to access Japanese TV sites? If so, which one and how has your experience been? Let us know in the comments below. Thanks for reading.
FAQ: Stream Japanese TV From Anywhere
You can watch Japanese TV shows online on geoblocked Japanese TV sites in America by using a virtual private network (VPN). The VPN you use should have Japanese servers.
You can find free Fuji TV content on TVer, a Japanese streaming site. If you’re outside Japan, you can connect to a Japanese VPN server to get access.
There is a wide variety of free Japanese TV sites, but you can also get paid subscriptions with sites like Hulu Japan and TELASA. Netflix and Amazon Prime Video also have Japanese libraries full of TV shows and movies — you can change to the Japanese library by connecting to a Japanese server on a VPN.