Best VPNs for Japan in 2026
Whether you live in Japan or are only passing through, a VPN encrypts your connection on public Wi-Fi and gives you a Japanese IP address for the Japanese services that check for one. Below are the seven VPNs we recommend for Japan, what each is best at, who should skip it, and the official figures behind the comparison.
Best VPNs for Japan compared
| # | VPN | Best for | Servers in Japan | Simultaneous devices | Money-back guarantee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NordVPN | Best VPN overall for Japan | 206 | 10 | 30 days |
| 2 | Surfshark | Best for unlimited devices | 80 | Unlimited | 30 days |
| 3 | ExpressVPN | Best for travelers | — | 10–14 (by plan) | 30 days (new users) |
| 4 | CyberGhost | Best for beginners | 108 | 7 | 45 days (14 on monthly plans) |
| 5 | IPVanish | Best for Kodi and Fire TV | — | Unlimited | 30 days (yearly and 2-year plans) |
| 6 | VyprVPN | Best for privacy | — | 10 | 30 days |
| 7 | Hotspot Shield | Best for torrenting | — | 10 (Premium) | 45 days (bought direct) |
Every figure in the table comes from the provider’s own website. Where a provider does not publish a Japanese server count, the cell is empty rather than estimated.
Who has the most servers in Japan?
How we picked these VPNs
The ranking is our editorial judgment of which provider fits which need in Japan. To keep it honest, we only publish facts we can source:
- Japanese servers – how many servers each provider runs in Japan and in which cities, taken from its own server pages.
- Devices per plan – how many devices one subscription covers, which decides whether one plan is enough for a family.
- Refund period – how long you have to try the service and get your money back.
- Fit for the use case – travel, families, privacy, torrenting, or support for TV devices such as the Fire TV Stick.
We have not yet published our own speed or streaming tests for Japan, so this guide makes no claims about speeds or about which Japanese channels each VPN unblocks.
The best VPNs for Japan, reviewed
1. NordVPN
- Servers in Japan
- 206api.nordvpn.com/v1/servers/countries · checked 2026-11-08
- Simultaneous devices
- 10nordvpn.com/pricing · checked 2026-11-08
- Money-back guarantee
- 30 daysnordvpn.com/pricing · checked 2026-11-08
NordVPN runs servers in Tokyo and Osaka, according to its own server list, and of the providers that publish a figure it has the most Japanese servers. The plan covers enough devices for a phone, a laptop and a TV at the same time.
It is the provider we recommend if you only want to buy one VPN for Japan. Our NordVPN review covers the apps and the privacy policy in more detail.
+ Pros
- The largest Japanese network of the providers that publish a figure
- Servers in both Tokyo and Osaka
- One plan covers a household’s main devices
− Cons
- Has a device limit, unlike Surfshark and IPVanish
- Fewer Japanese locations than ExpressVPN
Choose it if you want one VPN that handles browsing, streaming and public Wi-Fi in Japan. Skip it if you need to protect more devices than one plan allows.
2. Surfshark
- Servers in Japan
- 80surfshark.com/servers/japan · checked 2026-11-08
- Simultaneous devices
- Unlimitedsurfshark.com/features/multiple-devices · checked 2026-11-07
- Money-back guarantee
- 30 dayssurfshark.com/features/multiple-devices · checked 2026-11-07
Surfshark has servers in Tokyo, and one subscription covers an unlimited number of devices. That makes it the easy choice for families and shared homes: everyone can use the same plan on every phone, laptop and TV.
+ Pros
- No device limit on one subscription
- A published Japanese server count
− Cons
- Japanese servers in Tokyo only
- A smaller Japanese network than NordVPN or CyberGhost
Choose it if you are buying one VPN for a whole family. Skip it if you want servers outside Tokyo.
3. ExpressVPN
- Servers in Japan
- —not published
- Simultaneous devices
- 10–14 (by plan)expressvpn.com/pricing · checked 2026-11-12
- Money-back guarantee
- 30 days (new users)expressvpn.com/pricing · checked 2026-11-12
ExpressVPN lists more Japanese locations than any other VPN here: Tokyo, Shibuya, Yokohama and Osaka, backed by a worldwide server network. That is why we recommend it to people who travel in and out of Japan: one app gives you a Japanese IP address when you are away and a local one wherever you land.
+ Pros
- The most Japanese locations in this list
- A worldwide server network for travel
− Cons
- No published Japanese server count
- The device limit depends on the plan you buy
- The refund guarantee is for new users only
Choose it if you regularly travel between Japan and other countries. Skip it if you want unlimited devices on one plan.
4. CyberGhost
- Servers in Japan
- 108cyberghostvpn.com/vpn-server · checked 2026-11-08
- Simultaneous devices
- 7cyberghostvpn.com/features/money-back-guar… · checked 2026-11-07
- Money-back guarantee
- 45 days (14 on monthly plans)cyberghostvpn.com/features/money-back-guar… · checked 2026-11-07
CyberGhost has the second-largest Japanese network we list, all in Tokyo according to its server page. Its refund window on longer plans is the joint longest here, which gives a first-time VPN user time to try it on every device before committing.
+ Pros
- A large Japanese network in Tokyo
- The joint longest refund period here on plans of six months or more
− Cons
- The lowest device limit in this list
- Monthly plans get a much shorter refund window
- No servers outside Tokyo
Choose it if this is your first VPN and you want time to try it. Skip it if you need many devices covered or only want to pay month by month.
5. IPVanish
- Servers in Japan
- —not published
- Simultaneous devices
- Unlimitedipvanish.com/pricing · checked 2026-11-08
- Money-back guarantee
- 30 days (yearly and 2-year plans)ipvanish.com/pricing · checked 2026-11-08
IPVanish has an app for the Amazon Fire TV and a dedicated page for Kodi users, which is why we recommend it if you mostly watch on a TV device. It lists servers in Tokyo and Osaka but does not publish a Japanese server count, and one subscription covers an unlimited number of devices.
+ Pros
- No device limit on one subscription
- Servers in both Tokyo and Osaka
- Support for Kodi and the Fire TV Stick
− Cons
- No published Japanese server count
- The refund guarantee does not cover monthly plans
Choose it if you watch mostly through Kodi or on a Fire TV Stick. Skip it if you want to pay month by month and still get a refund window.
6. VyprVPN
- Servers in Japan
- —not published
- Simultaneous devices
- 10support.vyprvpn.com/hc/en-us/articles/3600… · checked 2026-11-08
- Money-back guarantee
- 30 daysvyprvpn.com · checked 2026-11-08
VyprVPN says it was one of the first VPN providers to have its no-logs policy independently audited, and it runs its own no-log DNS service. It also offers obfuscated servers, which hide the fact that you are using a VPN on networks that try to block them. In Japan it lists a server location in Tokyo.
+ Pros
- A no-logs policy the provider says has been independently audited
- Obfuscated servers for restrictive networks
− Cons
- No published Japanese server count
- Japanese servers in Tokyo only
Choose it if you care most about what your VPN provider keeps about you. Skip it if you want the largest choice of Japanese servers.
7. Hotspot Shield
- Servers in Japan
- —not published
- Simultaneous devices
- 10 (Premium)hotspotshield.com/select-plan · checked 2026-11-08
- Money-back guarantee
- 45 days (bought direct)hotspotshield.com/select-plan · checked 2026-11-08
Hotspot Shield says its own Hydra protocol is designed for downloading and P2P traffic as well as streaming and gaming, which is why we list it for torrenting. Japan is in its location list, but it does not name a Japanese city or publish a server count. It also describes its network as “virtual locations” and does not say whether its Japan location is a physical server in Japan. Its refund window, when you buy directly from Hotspot Shield, is the joint longest here.
Using a VPN does not make downloading copyrighted material legal. See torrenting in Japan below.
+ Pros
- The joint longest refund period in this list
- A protocol the provider says is designed for P2P traffic
− Cons
- No Japanese city or server count published
- The refund window only applies when you buy directly from Hotspot Shield
Choose it if you torrent legal content and want a long time to test the service. Skip it if you want to know where in Japan your server is.
Watching Japanese TV with a VPN
Japanese streaming apps check where you are, and they often refuse to play when they see a VPN address. If you live in Japan and keep your VPN on, connect to a Japanese server so the apps see a Japanese IP address, and try another Japanese server if one still refuses to play.
Japanese channels and their streaming apps
| Broadcaster | Channels | Streaming app |
|---|---|---|
| NHK | NHK General TV | NHK ONE |
| Commercial networks | Nippon TV, TV Asahi, TV Tokyo and others | TVer |
| ABEMA | ABEMA’s own channels | ABEMA |
NHK shows the Grand Sumo tournaments live on NHK General TV.
Before you rely on it
- Streaming services often block VPN traffic, and what works changes over time. We have not tested which VPN currently works with which Japanese channel, so use the refund period to check the services you care about.
- Some services restrict VPN use in their terms. TVer, for example, says its videos can only be watched in Japan and that it does not support viewing through a VPN.
- Paid plans on services such as ABEMA still need a subscription; a VPN only changes your location.
What to avoid when choosing a VPN for Japan
- Free VPNs that pay for themselves with ads or your data. Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications warns that some VPN services do not make clear who runs them, and all of your traffic passes through the provider’s servers.
- Providers without servers in Japan. If you want Japanese TV or a Japanese IP address, check the server list before you buy.
- Plans you cannot get refunded. Every VPN in our list has a refund window on at least its longer plans; use it to test the Japanese services you care about.
- Providers that say little about who runs them or what they log. Read the privacy policy before you pay.
- “Lifetime” deals from unknown brands. A service that has to keep running servers for ever on a one-off payment rarely lasts.
Is using a VPN legal in Japan?
Yes. Japan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) treats a VPN as one of the ways to protect yourself on public Wi-Fi, and advises checking that the provider is trustworthy before you rely on it.
A VPN does not change what is legal, though. This is general information, not legal advice.
Torrenting in Japan
Uploading or sharing copyrighted material without permission is illegal in Japan, with or without a VPN, and torrenting a protected film shares it while you download. According to the Agency for Cultural Affairs, knowingly downloading pirated music or video has been a criminal offense since 2012 when the official version is sold or paid for, and a revision of the Copyright Act in 2020 extended the ban on downloading pirated copies to other works such as manga. Prosecution needs a complaint from the rights holder. Torrenting itself is legal for content you have the right to share, such as open-source software or public-domain films.
How to get a Japanese IP address
- Pick a VPN from the table above that lists servers in Japan.
- Install its app on the device you want to use and sign in.
- Choose Japan (or a Japanese city) in the server list and connect.
- Check that your IP address now shows Japan, then open the Japanese service you want to use.
FAQ
What is the best VPN for Japan?
NordVPN is our pick for most people. It has the largest Japanese network of the providers that publish a figure, in Tokyo and Osaka, and one plan covers several devices. Surfshark is the better choice for large households because it has no device limit.
Is there a good free VPN for Japan?
Hotspot Shield is the only provider in this list with a free plan, but its plan page does not say the free plan lets you choose Japan, so do not count on it for a Japanese IP address. For that you need a paid plan.
Which VPN has the most servers in Japan?
Of the providers in our list that publish a figure, NordVPN has the most Japanese servers, followed by CyberGhost. ExpressVPN does not publish a count but lists the most Japanese locations.
Can I watch TVer, NHK ONE or ABEMA in Japan with a VPN on?
These services check for a Japanese IP address, which a VPN connected to a Japanese server provides. TVer says it is for viewers in Japan only and does not support VPN viewing, and we have not tested which VPN currently works with each service. Use a refund period to try it.
Is it legal to use a VPN in Japan?
Yes. The MIC treats a VPN as one way to protect yourself on public Wi-Fi. A VPN does not make illegal activity, such as downloading pirated films, legal.
Which VPN has servers outside Tokyo?
ExpressVPN lists Osaka and Yokohama as well as Tokyo, and NordVPN and IPVanish both list Osaka. Surfshark, CyberGhost and VyprVPN list Tokyo only.