Introduction: Why a Japanese Fantasy Writer Cares About VPNs
As a Japanese fantasy writer, most of my creative life happens in quiet corners of Japan.
My stories are full of yokai, forgotten shrines, and gods who still walk in back alleys.
But my digital life is very global: I publish blog posts in English, talk with readers overseas, and study how people outside Japan discover Japanese culture.
Because of that, I care a lot about:
- Online privacy (when I’m writing in cafés or using public Wi-Fi)
- Access to Japanese content (anime, dramas, websites) from different countries
- Keeping my accounts safe when I travel or log in from unfamiliar networks
That’s where a VPN like NordVPN comes into my daily routine.
In this article, I’ll share how I would realistically use NordVPN as:
- a Japanese fantasy writer,
- a person who lives in Japan but writes in English, and
- someone who wants to help overseas readers explore Japanese culture safely.
This is not a super-technical review.
It’s a practical guide for people who love Japan, anime, and language learning—and who want to stay a bit safer online.
(When you are ready, you can check NordVPN here:
【ADD: NordVPN affiliate link】)
What NordVPN Is (In Simple Terms)
I’m not a network engineer. I’m a storyteller.
So here is how I personally think of a VPN:
A VPN is like a tunnel of fog between your device and the internet.
Others can see that “something” is moving, but not who you are or exactly where you came from.
More concretely, a VPN like NordVPN:
- Encrypts your internet traffic
→ So people on the same network (like in a café or hotel) can’t easily snoop. - Lets you appear as if you are in another country
→ By connecting to a server in Japan, the US, Europe, etc. - Adds an extra layer between you and the websites you visit
→ Useful for privacy and sometimes for accessing region-locked content.
For my readers—many of whom live outside Japan but love Japanese culture—this “change your online location” feature is especially important.
Who This Guide Is For
This guide will be most useful if you are:
- Learning Japanese and want more access to Japanese streaming content, news, or websites
- A fan of anime, dramas, and Japanese subculture who sometimes hits region blocks
- A writer, creator, or remote worker who uses public Wi-Fi or travels often
- Curious about VPNs but overwhelmed by technical explanations
I’ll keep the focus on realistic, everyday use cases, not abstract theory.
How I Would Use NordVPN: 3 Main Scenarios
1. Watching Japanese Content from Abroad (Anime, TV, and More)
If you are outside Japan, you might already know this feeling:
“This anime is available… but not in your country.”
Very often, Japanese streaming services, TV archives, or some anime platforms are region-locked to Japan.
With a VPN like NordVPN, you can:
- Open the app
- Choose a server in Japan
- Then open your streaming service or Japanese website
From the website’s perspective, your connection now looks like it’s coming from Japan.
Of course, you still need proper subscriptions and must follow each platform’s terms of service.
A VPN is not a magic key for paid content. It’s just a way to choose your connection route.
But if you are already paying for services that have different libraries in different regions, NordVPN can make it easier to:
- Watch Japanese-dubbed or original versions
- See Japanese UI and subtitles for immersion
- Explore local Japanese services that might not be directly available from your country
For learners and fans, that’s a big boost in exposure.
2. Protecting Yourself on Public Wi-Fi (Cafés, Co-working Spaces, Travel)
As a writer, I love working in cafés.
I draft scenes about shrine gods while a latte slowly gets cold beside my laptop.
But public Wi-Fi is… not always safe.
Without a VPN, other people on the same network might:
- Sniff unencrypted traffic
- Try simple attacks on poorly secured connections
- See more metadata about what you’re doing
With a VPN like NordVPN turned on:
- Your traffic is encrypted between you and the VPN server
- It’s much harder for someone on that café Wi-Fi to see which sites you’re visiting or what data you’re sending
- You get an extra layer of separation between you and the wider internet
For me, this matters especially when I’m:
- Logging into email, cloud storage, or writing tools
- Doing any kind of website management (like working on Yui’s Japanese Culture Lab)
- Accessing payment platforms or affiliate dashboards related to my work
I can’t eliminate all risk, but using a VPN is one of the simplest habits that makes me feel less exposed.
3. Keeping a Bit of Privacy in a Very Connected Life
As a fantasy writer, I spend a lot of time inside my own head.
But the internet is always trying to profile and predict me:
- Which sites I visit
- Which products I might buy
- Which videos I watch late at night when I’m tired from revising a scene
Using a VPN like NordVPN doesn’t make you “invisible,” but it can:
- Make it harder to tie all your activity to one fixed IP address
- Reduce simple tracking based on your location
- Add friction for companies (and sometimes third parties) trying to build a perfect model of you
For someone who values both creativity and boundaries, this matters.
Why I Would Choose NordVPN Specifically
There are many VPNs in the world. Why NordVPN?
From a non-technical, writer’s perspective, I like that:
- It has a large number of servers, including in Japan
- The apps are straightforward (desktop and mobile)
- It supports multiple devices, so I can cover:
- my laptop (for writing and site management),
- my phone (for casual browsing, social media, and streaming),
- and possibly other devices if needed.
Also, NordVPN is widely used and often reviewed, so:
- It’s relatively easy to find setup guides, troubleshooting tips, and user experiences
- I don’t feel like I’m trusting my traffic to a completely obscure company
Of course, no service is perfect, and you should always read the latest information and policies yourself.
But as a practical choice for learners and fans of Japanese culture, NordVPN is one I feel comfortable recommending.
How I Would Actually Use NordVPN Day to Day
Here’s what a realistic week might look like for me.
Example A: Writing in a Café
- I open my laptop in a café in Tokyo.
- I connect to the café Wi-Fi.
- Before doing anything sensitive, I:
- Turn on NordVPN
- Connect to a nearby server in Japan
- Then I:
- log into my WordPress dashboard
- write or edit articles in English
- check my affiliate dashboards and email
When I’m done with “work mode,” I can turn the VPN off if I want.
But often I just leave it on—it doesn’t get in my way.
Example B: Helping an Overseas Reader Find Japanese Content
Let’s say one of my readers writes:
“I live in Europe but want to watch more Japanese-dubbed content. Is there any way to access the Japanese library of a service I already pay for?”
I would answer something like:
- Check the terms of service of your streaming platform
- If it allows cross-region usage with a VPN, then:
- Use NordVPN
- Connect to a Japanese server
- Log into your account normally and see if the content library changes
Then I’d add that a VPN is not a guarantee; platforms can change their rules and detection methods.
But in many cases, readers do find it helpful for discovering more Japanese content.
Example C: Traveling While Keeping a “Japanese” Connection
If I travel outside Japan, but still want:
- to access Japanese websites as if I were in Japan,
- to manage my blog,
- or to keep a consistent environment,
I can:
- Turn on NordVPN
- Choose a server in Japan
- Continue browsing and working as if my digital self stayed in Japan while my physical self moved.
For people learning Japanese abroad, this “switch back to Japan” feeling can also be encouraging.
Quick Start: How to Begin Using NordVPN
If you’re completely new to VPNs, here is a simple path:
- Visit NordVPN’s site
- Choose a plan
- Monthly or yearly, depending on your budget and how long you expect to use it
- Many people go with longer plans for better pricing if they know they’ll use it often
- Create an account and install the app
- On your laptop
- On your phone
- On any other main devices you use
- Log in and connect to a server
- For privacy on public Wi-Fi → choose a nearby server for speed
- For accessing Japanese content → choose a server in Japan
- Build the habit
- Turn NordVPN on whenever you use public networks
- Use it when accessing region-sensitive content
- Don’t wait until there is a problem—treat it like putting on a seatbelt
Limitations and Things to Keep in Mind
Even as I recommend NordVPN, I want to be honest about limitations:
- Not all streaming platforms “like” VPNs
- Some may block connections from known VPN servers
- Rules can change over time
- A VPN is not a shield against everything
- You still need good passwords, two-factor authentication, and basic security habits
- Speed may change
- Connecting to a faraway server can sometimes slow things down
- For daily use, I usually choose a nearby server unless I specifically need another region
A VPN is a tool, not a complete solution.
But it’s a tool that fits naturally into many people’s digital lives—especially if you live between cultures and languages like I do.
Is NordVPN Worth It for You?
You might consider NordVPN if:
- You often use public Wi-Fi (cafés, co-working spaces, hotels, airports)
- You are a Japanese learner or anime fan who wants more stable access to Japanese content
- You manage online projects or creative work and care about an extra layer of privacy
- You simply don’t like the feeling of being totally transparent online
If that sounds like you, I think NordVPN can be a good companion—just like a sturdy umbrella in a rainy season.
Final Thoughts: Protecting Your Digital Shrine
In Japanese fantasy, there is often a shrine, a border, or a sacred space that separates the ordinary world from something more fragile and important.
For me, my writing time and my online identity are a bit like that.
Using NordVPN doesn’t turn the internet into a perfect safe zone.
But it does help me:
- protect my “digital shrine” a little better,
- explore Japanese and global content more freely, and
- feel more comfortable inviting readers into my world.
If you also live between languages, countries, and cultures, consider whether a VPN fits into your journey.
And if you decide to try NordVPN, I’d be happy if this guide helped you make that choice more clearly:
Affiliate & Transparency Note
This article includes affiliate links.
If you choose to subscribe to NordVPN through those links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
I only recommend tools that I personally use or would honestly suggest to readers who love Japanese culture and need practical support for their online lives.
Thank you for supporting my writing and this small lab.
