Watch Rakuten TV Outside Japan? | Best VPN for Rakuten TV
Rakuten TV is to Japan, as HBO is to the United States. They offer the latest Hollywood blockbusters, the most popular TV Series, and the best films from independent filmmakers. Rakuten TV is, however, not available outside the jurisdictions of Japan. The reason for this is that Rakuten TV has only bought the rights to show the content to people in Japan.
Luckily, there is an easy solution to this problem. You can watch Rakuten TV outside of Japan by using a VPN service, and we’ll show you how in this article.
How to watch Rakuten TV with a VPN
To watch Rakuten TV you need a Japanese IP address since Rakuten TV only shows the content to people in Japan. To change your IP address, you need to use a VPN. VPN is an acronym for Virtual Private Network. A VPN program will let you connect to different servers around the world, which will change your IP address.
When you connect to a server in Japan, your traffic will be redirected through this server before it reaches the internet. Then you will get a Japanese IP address and other people online will think you are in Japan, including Rakuten TV.
So to watch Rakuten TV outside of Japan you only need to 1) Download a VPN program and 2) Connect to a Japanese server. It is really easy.
Best VPNs for Rakuten TV
There are numerous Virtual Private Network providers out there, but the following are the most efficient for allowing you to access Rakuten TV video content outside Japan:
ExpressVPN
Features
- Number of servers: More than 3,000
- Speeds: Unlimited
- Server locations: 160 in 105 countries
- Maximum devices supported: 5
- 24 live chat: Yes
- 30-day money-back guarantee: Yes
Pros/Cons
- Fastest VPN out there
- Strict no logs policy
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Few discounts
This is one of the oldest VPNs around. Over the years, it has witnessed growth and evolution of all sorts. Unarguably, it is one of the most reliable Virtual Private Networks. They have over 3000 servers in 160 locations across 94 countries around the globe.
ExpressVPN operates a strict no-logging policy. And it works. Combined with state-of-the-art encryption codes, they ensure a tight and secure connection on the internet. Your privacy has never been more guaranteed. The company achieves this by using her DNS servers to protect your network from unnecessary traffic.
Leveraging on Japan’s incredible Internet speed, ExpressVPN can bring Rakuten TV content to your device in only a matter of seconds, wherever you are in the world. The high number of servers in Japan makes live streaming as hitchless as a witnessed live performance.
They have non-ambiguous subscription plans, allowing users to make suitable and moderate choices. Like most providers, ExpressVPN works on a variety of operating systems. These include macOS, Windows, Android, Linux, and iOS, to name a few. With a single subscription, you can secure up to 5 devices, all at once.
ExpressVPN is also a great choice for watching shows like Japanese Netflix and Japanese Hulu outside of Japan.
- Pros: Fastest VPN out there; Strict no logs policy; 256-bit AES encryption;
- Lowest price: $6.67
NordVPN
Features
- Cryptocurrency accepted? Yes
- Simultaneous connections: 6
- Dedicated IP-addresses? Yes
- Servers: 5342 in 58 countries
Pros/Cons
- Lots of pricing options
- Netflix support kept up to date
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Slow app
Folks that complain about one problem or another concerning the internet most likely do not use NordVPN, for it is all you need for a better online experience. Airtight containers have no air in them whatsoever. NordVPN is hacker-tight. It operates a stronger no-logging policy than most other service providers.
With NordVPN, you can rest assured that the details of your whereabouts on the internet are yours, and yours alone. What a breath of fresh air. This provider allows you to simultaneously secure up to 6 devices, regardless of their individual operating systems.
For servers to be highly effective for streaming, they should have unlimited bandwidth and must be close to where you are. NordVPN has over 5000 servers in 60 countries, including Japan. Each of these has unlimited bandwidth, ensuring maximum live streaming speeds to watch content on Rakuten TV. These speeds are also highly improved due to proprietary SmartPlay DNS features. These features work automatically, requiring only basic computer skills.
NordVPN customer care service is second to none. While you’re not likely to encounter any problems with this VPN, you can be sure that peradventure you do, you’re in good hands. NordVPN is also a great choice for watching other Japanese TV shows abroad such as dTV, U-Next and GYAO.
- Pros: Lots of pricing options; Netflix support kept up to date; 256-bit AES encryption;
- Lowest price: $3.71
ProtonVPN
Features
- P2P support? Yes
- 30-day money-back guarantee? Yes
- Country of origin? Switzerland
- Servers: 600+ in over 40 countries
- Simultaneous devices: 5
Pros/Cons
- Professional support
- Modern interface and apps
- AES-256 encryption
- Lesser known provider
ProtonVPN is a high-speed Swiss VPN. Switzerland is an important location for a VPN service provider to be headquartered, and you’re about to see why. Switzerland has some of the world’s strongest privacy laws, is also outside of EU and US jurisdiction, and is not a member of the fourteen eyes surveillance network.
Security and privacy are as tight as they come. Their no-log policy claim is valid and active too. ProtonVPN exclusively uses ciphers with Perfect Forward Secrecy. What this means is that encrypted traffic cannot be captured and decrypted later, even if an encryption key gets compromised in the future.
No one knows for sure the number of servers they have, but their speeds hint us that they run into the thousands. With many located in Japan and its environs, streaming speeds are ecstatic, and you can enjoy Rakuten TV like you were in Tokyo. This also goes for watching shows like AbemaTV overseas.
ProtonVPN is capable of securing up to 10 devices all at once, the highest number among the service providers in this article. The cherry on top is that ProtonVPN offers a free version of such top-notch privacy. Unlike other free Virtual Private Networks, ProtonVPN’s actually works, and there are no hidden clauses. To get the full package of fantastic steaming speed and more features, however, you would need to subscribe.
- Pros: Professional support; Modern interface and apps; AES-256 encryption;
- Lowest price: €4
Trust.Zone
Features
- Complete anonymity? Yes
- Unblocking of all websites? Yes
- Pricing options: 4
- Servers: 164 in 80+ zones
- Free trial: Yes
Pros/Cons
- Military grade encryption
- Bitcoin accepted
- App for mobile devices
- Lesser known provider
Trust.Zone is another provider you can use to access Rakuten TV outside Japan. It comes equipped with the necessary speed, security features, and unblocking ability to ensure stress-free access to Rakuten. You will hardly have any qualms with the service.
The VPN service provider is also trustworthy in terms of security. It uses the AES-256- bit encryption model and has other essential features to keep you safe. Trust.Zone has its headquarters in the Seychelles Islands, which has good privacy policies. The VPN provider cannot be legally forced to provide any information. It only keeps your email address when registering and does not log any of your internet activity.
Trust.Zone’s speed allows you to stream content on Rakuten TV outside Japan with ease. The VPN service does not interfere with your internet connection, so you can stream without slow buffering frustrations. Additionally, Trust.Zone has no torrenting restrictions and has a kill switch to protect your data even when the connection fails.
The VPN service is affordable and allows up to five simultaneous connections with a single account.
- Pros: Military grade encryption; Bitcoin accepted; App for mobile devices;
- Lowest price: €3
HideMyAss
Features
- Speeds: 20 Gbps
- Money-back guarantee: Yes
- Activity logs? No
- Locations: 190+ countries
Pros/Cons
- Best server database on the market
- No-logs and kill switch policy
- Multiple device protection
- Expensive short term plan
This VPN surely performs more functions than your ordinary towel. With the coverage of its servers, this provider sure does hide a lot of asses. Take a wild guess. HideMyAss has thousands of servers in over 290+ locations across a whopping 190 countries. No other Virtual Private Network service provider even comes this close. With such coverage comes commensurate speed.
Accessing Rakuten TV video content from wherever you are in the world is no biggie. In their own words exactly, “Over 6 billion Web pages. Unblock them all.” Each server at core data centers can stream 4K videos 800 times in parallel. Livestreaming all the way!
HideMyAss uses United States military-grade encryption (256-bit AES). You should only become bothered when the US military is hacked, and probably one of the nuclear warheads is deployed. Till then, you can sleep with cucumber slices over your eyes. Their strict no-logging policy ensures that your Internet businesses and transactions are indeed yours alone.
Like the others we have reviewed, HideMyAss can function across a broad range of operating systems. Like ExpressVPN, it can also secure five devices at once, with a single subscription. HideMyAss is also a great choice for watching Japanese TV overseas in general.
- Pros: Best server database on the market; No-logs and kill switch policy; Multiple device protection;
- Lowest price $2.99
Why should I use VPNs?
Just in case you haven’t been ‘listening,’ VPNs go beyond catching your favorite TV shows when you’re outside Japan. VPNs do not just bypass geo-restrictions and get you undue benefits. They are integral for protection and privacy in a world that those words have become foreign to. If you never want to be the victim of a hack, especially as someone with a lot to lose, you’re wrong without a VPN.
Are VPNs legal?
A better question is – is it illegal to take precautionary measures?
If it is legal to kill a person in the name of self-defense, it’s safe to say that VPNs are legal. It’s not a crime to care about your privacy and protection.
While VPNs are not directly illegal, they can prove to be unlawful in secondary ways. This means that any illegal activities you use VPNs to facilitate are still unlawful. You can surely be charged with a crime if you’re caught.
Take note that VPNs are totally illegal in most Arab nations, Russia, and North Korea. If you’re in any of these countries, whatever you do, please do not be caught.
Disadvantages of VPN
Every coin has a flip side.
VPNs can be disadvantageous in several ways. These include:
- With a VPN, the Internet speed is usually not as fast as it should be. Even with the best of VPNs as discussed above, the Internet speed is reduced, albeit by an insignificant percentage. With many other VPNs, however, there’s a noticeable plummet in rate. This is because the connection has to go from server to server. Remember Physics? The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. There are too many zigzags with VPNs.
- There’s no way to test the strength of their privacy and protection claims. The only way you get to confirm is when you’re caught. It wouldn’t take a genius to figure out that’s too late a time.
In conclusion
A bird in hand is better than ten in the bush. How about you release the bird in your hand, eh? Everyone deserves some freedom. You do too. Whether in Africa, or America, or Antarctica, your mobility and liberty shouldn’t come at the cost of losing dear Rakuten TV. That’s why you should subscribe to one of these VPN services today.