Japanese TV · catch-up · travel
Watching Japanese TV While Travelling: What to Know
Japanese dramas, variety shows and news have fans everywhere, but many travellers open an app abroad and find that shows are missing or that the message is different from the one at home. That is rarely a fault with your phone. Broadcast and streaming rights are sold territory by territory.
This guide covers what travellers should know about Japanese TV and catch-up services, what to check before you leave, and what a VPN realistically does: it protects your connection, it does not promise any particular show will play.
Rights are sold per territory, so libraries differ from country to country
You need your own subscription or account; XPASS includes no streaming service
A VPN encrypts your traffic on hotel and airport Wi-Fi but does not promise a service will play
Why Japanese TV looks different abroad
Producers and broadcasters license programmes to platforms by country or region. When the licence changes, so does the catalogue. Some catch-up shows are offered only to viewers in Japan; others are available internationally with a smaller selection.
Free, ad-supported catch-up services such as TVer are aimed at viewers in Japan. Services such as ABEMA and U-NEXT have their own coverage and terms. These conditions change, so read each service's current help pages and terms of use rather than relying on second-hand summaries, this article included.
XPASS has not tested these services. A VPN server in a given country does not prove that a service will work, and we make no claim that it will.
A pre-trip checklist
Do these at home, where fixing problems is easier.
- Open the service's help centre and look for what it says about using the service outside your home country.
- Make sure you can sign in, and set up two-step verification that does not rely on an international SMS, such as an authenticator app.
- If the service offers downloads for offline viewing and its terms allow it, download what you want while you are on home Wi-Fi.
- Check phone storage and pack a power bank.
- Install and test your VPN on the devices you are taking before you travel.
The services travellers ask about
TVer
A catch-up service for programmes from several Japanese broadcasters. It is aimed at viewers in Japan, so abroad you may see a message that a programme is not available in your area. The service's own help page is the authority.
ABEMA
A Japanese streaming service with live channels and on-demand video. What is offered outside Japan depends on the rights for each programme; check ABEMA's help centre.
U-NEXT
A subscription service covering films, series and anime. Use outside Japan depends on the service's terms.
These names are used descriptively only. XPASS is not affiliated with, endorsed by or a partner of any of them.
In our own records, none of these three services has confirmed overseas coverage yet, so treat each service's help page as the main source.
Hotel Wi-Fi, captive portals and in-room TVs
Most hotel Wi-Fi asks you to join the network first and then shows a web page asking for a surname, room number or email. This is called a captive portal. Until you finish it, apps report that there is no internet and a VPN will usually fail to connect. The simplest order is to join the Wi-Fi, complete the portal page in a browser, and only then switch the VPN on.
Some networks drop you every few hours or when you add another device. If that happens, repeat the portal step and reconnect the VPN. If a network blocks VPN connections altogether, try your mobile data or a personal hotspot instead.
In-room TVs that already have streaming apps need extra care. Signing in to your personal account on a TV the next guest will use leaves your account on it. If you must sign in, sign out before you check out, then open your account page on your phone, look at the list of signed-in devices and remove any that are not yours. Casting from your phone is generally safer than typing a password on a hotel TV, though it depends on whether the hotel enables it.
What a VPN does and does not do
For a traveller the clearest benefit is security. When you sign in to a streaming account on hotel, airport or café Wi-Fi, a VPN encrypts the traffic between your device and the VPN server, so others on that network can see far less. Our guide to staying safer on public Wi-Fi goes deeper.
What a VPN does not do is promise Japanese programmes will play. Streaming services may detect or restrict VPN connections, and using one can reduce what you can watch. It may also conflict with a service's terms of use, so read them and follow local law.
For the wider topic see Japanese TV and VPNs.
If a programme will not play: a quick troubleshooting table
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| A message says the programme is not available in your area | The rights for that programme do not cover where you are | Treat it as a licensing limit; pick something else or watch when you are home |
| App says there is no internet although Wi-Fi is connected | Hotel captive portal not completed | Open a browser, finish the portal page, then turn the VPN on |
| The VPN will not connect | Network restricts VPNs, pass expired, or wrong details | Check My Pass, try mobile data, or change network |
| Video stutters | Weak or crowded Wi-Fi | Move closer to the access point, lower the video quality, or use downloads if the service offers them |
| Service reports an unusual connection | It may detect or restrict VPNs | Turn the VPN off briefly on a trusted network and read the service's help page |
If you have worked through the list and it still fails, the service may simply not be available where you are. That is not a fault in your device or your pass.
Choosing a pass length for the trip
XPASS sells prepaid passes with a fixed number of days. You pay once by card through Stripe, there is no auto-renewal, and the days start counting when your VPN account is created, not when you first connect.
Match the pass to your trip. A long weekend or a single week fits the 7-day pass. Two or three weeks, a training course or a short study stay may suit the 30-day pass, with a few days in hand. If days are left, renewing adds the new days on top, so nothing is lost, and if you come home early nothing renews automatically.
Login details and setup appear only on your My Pass page; they are never sent by email. For more on trips in general see VPN for travel.
Devices covered
- iPhone and iPad
- Android phones and tablets
- Windows
- macOS
How to set it up
Read the service's terms and help pages
Check what the service says about use outside your home country before you rely on it.
Prepare your account
Sign in and turn on two-step verification that does not need an international SMS if you can.
Choose a pass and pay once
Pick the number of days that matches your trip, pay by card through Stripe and wait for the email saying your pass is ready.
Open My Pass and follow your device's setup
Login details and the supported setup method are shown only on My Pass.
Test before you leave
Connect at home, open the service, and note what happens. If something fails, read the service's message and its help page.
Limitations to know first
- XPASS includes no streaming subscription; you need your own account.
- Catalogues differ by region because of licensing, and XPASS has not tested TVer, ABEMA or U-NEXT.
- Services may detect or restrict VPN connections, which can reduce what you can watch or stop playback altogether.
- You are responsible for following each service's terms of use and local law.
- Overseas availability of TVer, ABEMA and U-NEXT is not confirmed in our records; check each service's help page.
- A VPN does not make you anonymous or fully secure; it encrypts the connection between your device and the VPN server.
Choose your pass
Prepaid passes. Pay once, no automatic renewal.
Frequently asked questions
Can I watch TVer outside Japan with a VPN?
We cannot say either way. TVer is aimed at viewers in Japan and services may detect or restrict VPN connections. XPASS has not tested it, so read TVer's current help pages and terms.
Why do Japanese apps show fewer programmes when I travel?
Rights are sold by territory, so a service can only show what it is licensed to show where you are. It is not a problem with your device.
Does XPASS work with ABEMA or U-NEXT?
XPASS has not tested these services and the pass includes no subscription. Results depend on each service and its terms.
What should I do when hotel Wi-Fi asks for a room number first?
Join the Wi-Fi and finish the captive portal page before turning the VPN on. If the VPN still will not connect, try mobile data or a personal hotspot.
Is it safe to sign in to a streaming account on a hotel TV?
Avoid it where you can. If you must, sign out before checkout and remove the TV from your account's list of signed-in devices.
How many days of pass do I need?
Count the days of your trip and add a small buffer. Days start when the account is created, and you can renew later.
Ready when you are
Pick a pass, pay once and follow the setup shown in My Pass for your device.
See passes and pricing