If you are a Japanese Hulu subscriber visiting the US – or anywhere else abroad – you may be wondering how to access your account abroad. The good news is that a few VPNs have a valid Japanese IP address you can use to watch Hulu Japan on vacation.

Not all VPNs work to watch Hulu Japan. This is because Nippon TV works hard to block them. Thankfully, we have found a few VPNs that work to watch Japanese Hulu from anywhere!

Below, you can take a quick look at the best VPNs for Hulu Japan so you can carry on watching your home service while traveling abroad. All the VPNs below will give you a Japanese IP address. To find out more about each recommendation, and what it has to offer, scroll down for in-depth summaries. 

Best VPNs for Hulu Japan:

  • NordVPN: The best VPN for Hulu Japan. 80+ servers in Japan. Superfast NordLynx protocol for streaming Hulu in HD. Reliable apps for all platforms. Strong AES encryption. Free Smart DNS service. Allows torrenting. 30-day money-back guarantee.
  • Surfshark: Best budget choice for Hulu Japan. Allows unlimited simultaneous connections. Works with TVer, NHK, Crunchyroll, Netflix US, and many more. 24/7 live chat support. Fast WireGuard protocol. Secure encryption and a no-logs policy.
  • ExpressVPN: 3,000+ servers in 94 countries, including Japan. Fast speeds for streaming Hulu and other Japanese TV services abroad. Secure apps for all platforms. 24/7 support. No logs policy. 30-day money-back guarantee.
  • CyberGhost: Perfect Hulu VPN for beginners. Over 7,000 servers in 90 countries, including 50+ servers in Japan. Works with Hulu Japan, Netflix, and more. Fast WireGuard protocol for HD streaming and gaming. 45-day money-back guarantee.
  • IPVanish: Fast, proprietary server network. Fully audited no logs VPN. Servers in 50+ countries, including Japan to watch Hulu abroad. Many advanced privacy features. 30-day money-back guarantee. Also works with Netflix US.
  • PrivateVPN: Reliable VPN from Sweden. Servers in 63+ countries, including Japan. Works with around 20 Netflix regions. Excellent speeds. Allows torrenting throughout its network. Works to stream Hulu Japan, TVer, and more.
  • AtlasVPN: Fast and reliable. Servers in 40+ countries. Outstanding option for streaming. Works with Hulu Japan, TV Tokyo, Nippon TV, TVer, and most other Japanese services from abroad. Also works with Netflix US, HBO Max, and other international services.

How to watch Hulu outside Japan

Since Hulu Japan was acquired by Nippon TV in 2014, the service has been completely independent. As a result of the acquisition, the service is home to masses of exclusive Japanese titles you don’t get on the US version of Hulu. This results in Japanese subscribers wanting to access their Hulu accounts while abroad.

There are no hidden terms—just contact support within 30 days if you decide NordVPN isn’t right for you and you’ll get a full refund. Start your NordVPN trial here.

As long as you pick one of our recommended VPNs for Hulu Japan, you will be ready to stream your account from the US or elsewhere abroad. To help you further, we have provided steps for watching Hulu Japan from abroad below.

Here’s how to watch Hulu Japan online (outside Japan):

  • Choose a recommended VPN for Hulu Japan. We recommend NordVPN because it is secure and fast and has valid IPs in Japan that work with Hulu. Alternatively, you can try Surfshark, which is cheap — or ExpressVPN, which is an outstanding all-rounder.
  • Head over to your preferred VPN for Hulu. Using our link will allow you to get your subscription at the best possible price thanks to our exclusive coupon code.
  • Download and install your provider’s VPN app.
  • Choose a VPN server in Japan and click connect.
  • Head over to Hulu Japan in your browser or use the Hulu Japan app.

You should now be able to stream your account without problems. However, if you encounter any problems be sure to clear your cookies and cache to remove any old location identifiers in your browser. This will ensure that your VPN gives you a valid IP address for Hulu Japan.

The best VPNs for Hulu Japan

To pick our recommendations, our experts tested the market in search of VPNs that have the following features:

  • Global server network with servers in Japan that work to stream Hulu Japan in the US or elsewhere in the world.
  • Apps for all devices to let you watch Hulu on any device
  • A no-logs policy to let you use the VPN without ever being tracked
  • Advanced security and privacy features to let you use the internet securely whether at home or on public wifi
  • Fast servers and protocols to let you stream Hulu on HD
  • Superb accessibility to let you access a variety of services, including Netflix, Crunchyroll, Funimation, and more.

To find out more about how we test and recommend VPNs, check out our full VPN testing methodology article. For now, you can use the summaries below to pick between the best VPNs to watch Hulu Japan abroad.

1. NordVPN

                    Jan 2023

works with hulu japanTested Jan 2023

Apps Available:

  • PC
  • Mac
  • IOS
  • Android
  • Linux
  • Background
  • FireTV

Website: www.NordVPN.com

Money-back guarantee: 30 DAYS

NordVPN is a provider based in Panama that is a solid all-rounder. Not only does this VPN represent fantastic value for money, but it is an excellent choice for gaining online security, privacy, and online freedom. It is a zero-logs service, which means it never stores any details about what its users do while connected, and it has a wide choice of advanced features.

Apps are available for all platforms and they provide 256-bit AES encryption, a kill-switch, obfuscated servers, double VPN, and Tor over VPN. You also get malware filtering, split tunneling, and a free Smart DNS service. This means you can use it to gain privacy at home and on public wifi. It also means you can use this VPN to unblock Hulu at work and nobody will ever know!

Speeds are lightning-fast thanks to this provider’s proprietary NordLynx protocol. This makes it an ideal choice for gaming, torrenting, and HD streaming. What’s more, servers are available in 60+ countries, including Japan to watch Hulu Japan and other Japanese TV platforms abroad. And, we love that it also works with 15+ Netflix regions, HBO Max, Crunchyroll, and most other international streaming services.

NordVPN uses shared IP addresses, and bandwidth is unlimited, which means you can always stream as much as you like. If you want to compare it to any other recommendation, you can do it thanks to its no-quibbles 30-day money-back guarantee. Apps are available for Windows, MacOS, iOS, Linux, Android, and Fire TV.

BEST VPN FOR HULU JAPAN:NordVPN is our first choice for streaming Japanese TV abroad. Faster than most other VPNs on the market. Strong privacy focus and a six-connection limit. Includes a 30-day money-back guarantee to let you test it. Also works with Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, and many other international services.

Pros:

  • Allows up to 6 simultaneous connections
  • Keeps no logs and provides robust AES encryption
  • Super fast NordLynx protocol
  • Servers in 60+ countries, including Japan to watch Hulu, TVer, etc.
  • Kill-switch, obfuscation, and many other advanced features

Cons:

  • Desktop apps can sometimes take a while to connect

Our score:

Read our full review of NordVPN.

2. Surfshark

works with hulu japanTested Jan 2023

  • PC
  • Mac
  • IOS
  • Android
  • Linux

Website: www.Surfshark.com

Surfshark was only launched in 2019, but it has quickly gained an impeccable reputation with consumers worldwide. The VPN has a network of over 3,200 servers in 65+ countries including Japan to watch Hulu and other Japanese TV platforms abroad.

During our tests, we found it to consistently be one of the fastest VPNs in the world thanks to its WireGuard implementation. This makes it good for gaming, torrenting, videoconferencing and watching HD videos on vacation. Plus, it offers everything you need to securely unblock TV platforms like Hulu at work without being tracked.

Surfshark has no connection limit, so you can protect all of your connected devices at once. This means you can share your account with friends and family, and use your account while traveling abroad or on public wifi. Plus, you can test it yourself using its 30-day money-back guarantee.

In terms of security, Surfshark is outstanding. A no-logs policy ensures it never tracks your activities, and it has fully diskless servers that retain no data on permanent storage. In addition, it has apps for all devices that come with AES 256-bit encryption, a kill switch, and protection against DNS, IPv6, and WebRTC leaks. It also provides obfuscation for those who want to conceal VPN use from their ISP.

BEST BUDGET VPN FOR HULU JAPAN:Surfshark boasts lightning-fast speeds, no connection limit, and the ability to unblock Hulu while traveling abroad. Servers in 65+ countries. Works with Netflix US, BBC iPlayer, HBO Max, and many other popular services. 30-day money-back guarantee to test it yourself.

  • Works with plenty of Japanese streaming services, including Hulu

  • Extremely high connection speeds for torrenting, gaming, and HD streaming

  • Strong security features, including a killswitch and obfuscation

  • Zero-logs policy

  • Allows unlimited connections

  • Some servers are a touch slower than others

Read our full Surfshark review

3. ExpressVPN

Website: www.ExpressVPN.com

ExpressVPN has a massive global server network stretching across 94+ countries. This includes servers in Japan that work to watch Japanese Hulu in the US – or anywhere else in the world. It’s also capable of securely accessing a wide choice of international services, including around 20 Netflix regions, HBO, iPlayer, and many more. This makes Express an impressive  all-rounder.  Best of all, this is one of the fastest VPNs on the market – perfect for gaming, torrenting, or HD streaming without buffering.

ExpressVPN takes security seriously, offering a watertight no logs policy for your data. It has advanced apps for all platforms that come with 256-bit AES encryption, DNS leak protection, perfect forward secrecy, and a VPN kill switch. You can register anonymously by paying with Bitcoin and using a burner email, and it has a .onion version of its website to ensure you can always gain access to its services – including its 24/7 live chat support – from anywhere in the world.

Apps are available for Windows, Linux, Mac, Android, and iOS. It even has its own custom app for routers. Plus, you can always set it up on a PC or Mac and then share the connection to  any non-VPN-friendly devices using a virtual wifi hotspot! Finally, you can compare it to any of our other recommendations thanks to its risk-free 30-day money-back guarantee.

STREAM HULU JAPAN ABROAD:ExpressVPN is a solid choice in every way. It has a vast network of servers that work to access most of the streaming services we have tested it with.  Hard to beat on privacy and security. Has a 30-day money-back guarantee. Servers in 94 countries.

  • Superb Japanese servers for watching Hulu Japan

  • Fast connection speeds for streaming and torrenting

  • Industry-leading security features

  • Works with around two dozen Netflix regions

  • A little pricey compared to our other recommendations

Read our full review of ExpressVPN.

4. CyberGhost

Website: www.Cyberghost.com

Money-back guarantee: 45 DAYS

CyberGhost is an impressive VPN that we often recommend to beginners. It has over 7000 servers in 90+ countries, including Japan to watch Japanese TV platforms and Hulu from abroad. It even has dedicated streaming servers, though these are primarily aimed at accessing British and American platforms. This means you will still need to connect to a Japanese server to watch Hulu Japan.

CyberGhost is ideal for people looking to protect several devices, as it allows up to 7 connections simultaneously. What’s more, this VPN has apps for all popular devices that  automatically check for malware and block ads. It also has a kill-switch and robust AES encryption, meaning it is a good option for torrenting and getting online privacy — whether at home or on public wifi.

In addition to being based in Romania, which is excellent in terms of privacy, this VPN has a watertight no logs policy. This means it never retains any records of what its users do while connected. Speeds are fast thanks to its WireGuard implementation, and you can try this VPN risk-free thanks to its generous 45-day money-back guarantee.

EASY TO USE:CyberGhost is great for beginners. Makes it easy to watch Japanese Hulu abroad. Works with many Japanese streaming platforms. Has a massive server network to prevent congestion. Stores no logs and allows torrenting. Fast WireGuard protocol is perfect for watching HD video reliably. 45-day money-back guarantee.

  • Low cost and good for beginners

  • Easy-to-use apps for Windows, Mac, IOS, and Android

  • Some of the fastest streaming servers we’ve tested

  • Great at unblocking tricky streaming services

  • Won’t work in China or the UAE

  • Doesn’t provide much control over advanced features

Read our full CyberGhost review.

5. IPVanish

Website: www.IPVanish.com

IPVanish is a US based provider that has apps for Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. It is a highly configurable VPN that allows any number of simultaneous connections. You can easily use the VPN both at home and on public wifi. It also means you can share your account with friends and family.

This provider has servers in over 50 countries, and those servers are fast thanks to its proprietary server network. IPVanish has a no-logs policy and secure apps that have been fully audited by an independent third-party. This means the VPN is highly secure and is as private as it claims to be.

In addition to having IPs in Japan that work to watch Hulu in the US or elsewhere, this VPN has fast US servers that work with Netflix. The only real caveat with this service is that it does not always unblock every international streaming platform. For this reason we do recommend you test access to your streaming services using its 30-day money back guarantee.

In terms of security, IPVanish sports robust 256-bit AES encryption, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, a kill switch, a LAN traffic blocker, and OpenVPN obfuscation.  Plus this VPN now also has Wireguard connections, which make it even better for streaming. You can test it using its 30-day money back guarantee.

SECURE NETWORK:IPVanish lets you connect an unlimited number of devices. Great for families. Works well with US TV services. Has servers in Japan to watch Hulu abroad. Lots of advanced features, including a kill-switch and obfuscation. 30-day money-back guarantee.

  • No issues getting it working with Hulu Japan

  • Fast servers are great for streaming and downloading

  • Preferred by Kodi and Firestick TV for its remote-friendly apps

  • Doesn’t accept Bitcoin

Read our full IPVanish review.

6. PrivateVPN

Website: www.PrivateVPN.com

PrivateVPN is a Swedish VPN provider that constantly impresses us (and consumers). The VPN was launched by activists in support of consumer rights to torrent securely and without fear of tracking and surveillance.

It is a highly versatile service that is capable of securely accessing streaming services like Netflix US, HBO Max, Crunchyroll, Sling TV, and Hulu Japan while traveling. It has around 250+ servers in total. Although that is fewer servers than many of our recommendations, they span 63+ countries, which offers plenty of coverage. What’s more, this includes super-fast servers in Japan that work with many Japanese TV platforms.

Those traveling regularly overseas will be happy to know this VPN works in China, unlike many of its rivals. It also has a ton of advanced security features: a robust no logs policy, 256-bit AES encryption, DNS and IPv6 leak protection, and a kill switch. It is also one of the few VPNs with split tunneling and port forwarding; ideal if you want to torrent or run a gaming server from home.

Six devices can be connected at once, so it’s great for homes with multiple computers and smartphones. PrivateVPN makes apps for Android, Linux, Windows, macOS, and iOS. It can also be manually installed on some routers. You can try it out using its 30-day money-back guarantee.

SUPER FAST:PrivateVPN has servers in 63+ countries. Easy to use on all devices. Fast speeds for torrenting and streaming in HD. Works well with Japanese TV platforms, including Nippon TV’s Hulu.  30-day money-back guarantee.

  • Works well with Hulu Japan  and other Japanese services

  • Works with a good range of streaming sites, even in China

  • Strong emphasis on online privacy and secure apps

  • No-logs policy and robust security features

  • Allows torrenting throughout its network

  • Live what is only available around 18 hours each day

Read our full PrivateVPN review.

7. AtlasVPN

  • PC
  • Mac
  • IOS
  • Android
  • Background
  • FireTV

Website: www.atlasvpn.com

AtlasVPN is a fast VPN with a global server network of 700 servers in 40+ countries, including Japan to unblock Hulu. This VPN is fast thanks to its excellent WireGuard implementation, and it is an all-round fantastic streaming VPN thanks to its ability to access platforms like  Netflix US, iPlayer, Hulu, Disney Plus, Prime Video, and HBO Max.

We find AtlasVPN to provide exceptional value for money considering what you get. The apps are well-rounded, feature-rich, and available for all platforms. Plus, you can install and use those apps on an unlimited number of devices. This means you can share your account with friends and family and all use the service concurrently.

This service keeps you safe with malware filtering, a kill switch, and protection against DNS leaks. The latest version of the app boasts IKEv2 encryption with robust AES-256 encryption.  It also has a solid no-logs policy, which means it never stores records of what you do online. This makes it a good option for unblocking Hulu, TVer, Nippon TV, NHK, or anything else at work.

FANTASTIC STREAMING:Atlas VPN provides incredible performance for streaming Japanese TV. Can access international streaming platforms from anywhere in the world. Provides excellent speeds thanks to its WireGuard protocol. Easy to use on all devices. Allows unlimited connections.  30-day money-back guarantee.

  • Faster than many other VPNs

  • Works with Hulu Japan and other Japanese video services

  • Apps for all platforms

  • Strong encryption and a no-logs policy

  • WireGuard and IKEv2 protocols available

  • Fewer advanced features than our #1 choice

  • Fewer server countries to pick from

Find out more in our review of AtlasVPN

This means that you will need a Japanese Hulu account to watch Japanese Hulu abroad. The same is true of American Hulu: If you want to connect to a US IP address to watch American Hulu in Japan (or anywhere else in the world); you will need to have a valid US Hulu account. 

In addition, free VPNs are easy to spot and block. This means that services like Netflix and Hulu have already banned those IPs from accessing their service. With this in mind, the best way to try a VPN with Hulu Japan for free is to make use of the money-back guarantee that comes with a premium VPN. All of our recommendations have been tested with Hulu Japan, and they all have a trial period that you can use to stream in the US or elsewhere.

In addition to the performance issues you will experience with a free VPN, we recommend staying away from free VPNs for privacy and security reasons. Free VPNs have invasive privacy policies that let them harvest your data. Free VPNs will track your web visits and then sell that data for advertising, to data brokers, and to anybody else willing to pay.

Furthermore, free VPNs have been found to contain severe app and server vulnerabilities, IP and DNS leaks, weak (or no) encryption, and even apps that have been purposefully loaded with spyware. This makes using free VPNs a big risk to your online safety.

The benefit of Nippon TV’s acquisition deal is that it still licenses the Hulu brand, and has direct access to US-made Hulu-exclusive and original content. However, it also has the ability to provide Japanese content from the Nippon network, which makes the service more appealing to the Japanese market. 

Due to the licensing agreements that Nippon has with Hulu USA, as well as the Japanese content producers, copyright holders, and publishers it works with – Hulu Japan is only available to stream within Japan. To this end, the service analyzes each visitor’s IP address and serves them an error message if they are located outside of the country.

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  • The Limit

  • Scool Seven Mysteries Murder Case

  • Jet Coaster Murder Case

  • Pandora’s Fruit

  • Komei Descends to Shibuya

  • Buffered

  • CactusVPN

  • Hola

  • IPVanish

  • IronSocket

  • Tunnelbear

  • Unotelly

  • ZenMate