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NOTE: Yes, I know that Netflix is now available in Japan. However, the services I explain below have proven extremely valuable to me for viewing streaming services from other countries, such as the USA. Since Netflix Japan doesn't have nearly the content library that Netflix USA has, I am most definitely keeping my Smart DNS subscription.
Living abroad in Japan I often miss out on cool stuff that my home country comes up with. Netflix USA and Pandora are prime examples. On one trip back to the States, my friends demonstrated the infinite advantages of an all-you-can-watch flat-rate streaming service. I wiped the drool from my lips. I too wanted this magic boom stick; however, for various legal reasons various streaming services do not work in various countries. My next home IT project was clear...
Step 1: Use a Selective DNS Proxy or VPN Service
Here's the technical part. Basically, these are services that will make it look like your Internet traffic from Japan is in fact coming from inside the USA (or other location). I found 2 approaches that would accomplish this--a selective DNS proxy and a VPN.
Selective DNS Proxy
Also known as "Smart DNS," this service will only trigger on certain sites (e.g. Netflix, Pandora, etc.), keeping other traffic routing normally. The advantage here is that your Internet connection will not slow down. Japan has famously fast Internet service, so this is a key brownie-point advantage in my opinion.
VPN
A VPN is a more aggressive solution. This service will typically route all of your Internet traffic through a "tunnel," making it look like you are totally and completely located in the USA (or other country). While it is possible to configure a VPN to be selective, I didn't see the need to bother since the selective proxy solution would save me the trouble.
However, a VPN could offer certain advantages over the selective proxy since it really looks like you're in another country. Sites not covered by a selective proxy would probably work with a VPN. Additionally, you wouldn't have to deal with sometimes-frustrating geo-location. For example, have you ever wanted to view the English / USA version of a website, but the site's overzealous geo-location continuously redirects you to the Japanese version? Yeah, that can be annoying, huh? A VPN would likely fix that. Albeit more aggressive, a VPN is a more versatile and configurable option. But in my case I didn't need such a multipurpose solution, so...
What I Use
Personally, I went with the selective proxy service because I only really wanted Netflix and Pandora, and I did not want to sacrifice my blazing Internet speed. Here's my recommendation:
Getflix
This is the one I use now. I originally used one called "Unblock-Us," but ended up switching to Getflix. Why did I switch? I switched simply because I'm a cheapskate, and Getflix is a tad bit cheaper. They offer a free trial, have a friendly responsive helpdesk, and support a ton of overseas streaming services. Oh, and best of all is that Getflix also includes optional free VPN service, so you can get the best of both worlds for no additional cost. The VPN comes in handy when I absolutely need to view the USA version of a website to check on my "American stuff." For example, I use it when logging into my USA Paypal account or obtaining free yearly credit reports.
After signing up with the service, all I had to do was modify the DNS settings on my home router, and I was good to go. The services above also allow you to set whichever Netflix region you prefer (Japan, USA, UK, etc). Now I can watch not only Netflix USA, but Netflix from a diverse mix of countries with sundry content libraries. Mission accomplished!
NOTE: Unfortunately, Netflix has been stepping up their campaign against Smart DNS services. While Getflix does still support Netflix unblocking, it currently only supports the USA region. Getflix does support unblocking for lots of other media services, though. Pandora and Amazon Prime Video USA work swimmingly!
Step 2: Sign Up for a Netflix Account (Duh!)
Now that Netflix is available in Japan, this is easier than ever. You can approach this in one of two ways:
1) Set the Netflix region to "Turn Off" and sign up at Netflix's Japan site. This is the better choice if you prefer to pay in yen and/or have a supported Japan payment method.
2) Set the Netflix region to your home country and sign up. This is the better choice if you prefer to pay in your home country's currency and/or maintain a payment method (e.g. a credit card from your home country).
I originally signed up for a Netflix USA account, but since Netflix arrived in Japan, I have since re-created my Netflix account here so that I can pay in yen.
NOTE: If you found this article helpful and you do plan on using one of the Smart DNS services mentioned above, please show your appreciation by using the links provided in the article. This tells them where the referral came from. Thank you!
The paid version (around 500yen/month if I remember well) has these 2 features, but while the first works reasonably well (as well as japanese machine translation can be), the saving feature is very basic and not worth the upgrade IMHO.
In the past I had an issue with my old Belkin Router modem when used my provider's DNS. Everything Google, suddenly stopped working for several minutes. I could sometimes use e.g. Google Japan or South Africa but could not use my country's Google. Change the DNS to Google's and this worked with no problem. My new TP-LINK VR900 does not have this issue and is using my provider's DNS.
Netflix not working for me for my Sony KD 49X8305C. I am getting ui-800-03 error message. I have BT home hub 3. I have tried clearing the Netflix app cache and data. Also tried resetting the home hub 3 router. Have tried powering off tv. Turned BT protect and parent controls off. No joy.
I have switched off wireless router, then connected Sony Tv to Wifi 4g hotspot on my Iphone. Then logged into netflix with no issues. Then removed all other wireless remebered wifi points, factory reset my router. Then signed out of netflix, then turned back on router and conneted TV to router. Then logged into Netflix with no further issues.
On checking the network it seem like it connects fine to netflix server 1. But not to netflix server 2 and 3 (error nw-2-5). And Internet connection to the tv is fine, other programs on tv are working with no problem (Kodi working fine).
I tried different solutions, switching off the tv from electricity and same for router, tried reinstalling the netflix app via es file explorer. Tried the last solution, connecting my tv via AP using my phone, at this point the netflix connected ad I was able to sign out, Then resettled my modem and when reconnected the tv via the BT modem the problem is back again.
New Sony KD-55XD8599, with latest available Sony firmware software update on 5 Dec 2016, but was still not connecting to Netflix. Using wired connection to BT Router. Gave error codes UI-800-3 and NW-2-5. More details, after Network Connection check: Netflix Server 1 :- (green tick) OK. Netflix Server 2 :- (red cross) NOT OK nw-2-5. Netflix Server 3 :- (red cross) NOT OK nw-2-5. Internet :- (green tick) OK. Phoned Sony helpline, told to try different method of connecting to Internet. Used mobile phone as hotspot to connect TV to Internet via WiFi. Netflix connected OK via mobile phone, and after initiating Netflix, then continued working Ok via BT router - whilst Netflix is running and then disconnecting from mobile phone hotspot. But next attempt by BT router only, gave same problems again. Second call to Sony helpline suggested turning off BT Parental Controls and BT Web Protect. My Parental Controls were already off, but have now also turned off BT Web Protect - and this now seems to have fixed the issue with Netflix. So this seems to be a problem only with Sony TVs connecting to Netflix, with BT Web Protect ON. Other apps are OK, and my other (Samsung) TV connects OK whateve BT Web Protect is set to.
Learn how to adjust your downloads settings to get Netflix to automatically manage it for you with its Smart Downloads features, and how to manage downloads for countries with restricted licenses. For more, learn about Netflix's hidden menu or see CNET's reviews of all the streaming services
If you're familiar with using Netflix on your mobile device, you've probably noticed the dark "Download" button that sits right below "Play." Clicking that button starts a download of a local version of the movie or TV show you want.
You can download Netflix movies and TV shows on iPhone, iPad, Android and Amazon Fire devices, as well as computers with Windows 10 or 11 and some Chromebooks and Chromeboxes. Netflix downloads are set by default to only use Wi-Fi, though you can change that in your app settings.
TV shows can be downloaded individually by clicking the download icon next to each episode. On Android devices, you can download an entire season of a show by tapping the separate Download Season button next to the My List, Rate and Share links near the top of a movie or show listing.
Netflix allows you to keep a maximum of 100 downloads on as many devices as are included in your subscription plan. Each of the downloads has a different expiration date based on its content license -- some expire as early as 48 hours after you first start watching. Downloads can be renewed, but some have a limit on how many times per year. If a movie or show leaves the Netflix service, all downloads for it immediately expire.
You can delete individual movies and shows by unselecting the check box next to each title. You can remove all of your downloads by going into your App Settings and clicking "Delete all downloads" under Downloads.
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