What is the Sakuraco box?
Sakuraco is a monthly subscription box containing 20 high-quality Japanese snacks and candies in addition to one homeware item (I got a small plate). Unlike other Japanese snack boxes that mostly include stuff you can buy from any supermarket in Japan like flavored Kit Kats or Pocky, the Sakuraco box contains unique items crafted by small, independent companies across Japan and is more of an ‘artisan snack’ proposition. In this sakuraco box review I will give my honest opinion on the box and its contents.
Each month has a different theme – the box I received was the Traditions of Tokyo box which included several Tokyo-made snacks, a beautiful ceramic plate with illustrations of Tokyo sites, a postcard of Edo-era Tokyo, and some Japanese tea made from soybeans.
I think the Sakuraco box offers customers a richer cultural experience than alternative subscription boxes that mainly include mass-produced food products manufactured by huge companies.
How much does the Sakuraco box cost?
As of the time of writing this article, a one-off box costs $37.50, with prices decreasing if you commit to a longer subscription. A 12-month subscription costs $32.50 per month, and a 3-month subscription is currently priced at $35.50 per month. I like that you have the option to buy just one box to see if you like it before committing to a longer subscription.
What’s inside the Sakuraco box? First impressions.
After a few days of being stuck in customs until I filled out some paperwork (I live in Finland so a pain in the butt to receive anything outside the EU), I finally received my Sakuraco box!
I was really impressed right away by the packaging and presentation of the box. It was a beautiful thick deep red cardboard gift box and felt very high quality. I was pretty sure that thanks to the packaging, the snacks inside would still be intact despite their long journey!
I was happy to find this to be the case, and just one of the snacks had a little bit which had crumbled off. Everything else was still in perfect condition, which is quite impressive considering the distance it had traveled.
My expectations for the Sakuraco box were high as soon as I saw the box – it was beautifully designed, really sturdy, and felt high quality. 10/10 for presentation and packaging. I also loved the information booklet that was included within the box, giving details about each item and where they come from, just enriching the cultural experience further.
Inside the box was a selection of 20 different sweet and savory snacks as well as the tea I mentioned earlier. In the following sections, I’ll give my honest opinion on how everything tasted!
Sakuraco box experience – the taste test!
Overall, I really enjoyed tasting all the different snacks with my husband over the weekend, and there wasn’t anything that I would say I disliked. Of course, there were some snacks I preferred over others – but all the snacks were beautifully prepared and presented. Many of the snacks featured traditional Japanese flavors and ingredients that are hard to come by where I live in Europe. Here’s a quick rundown of each item:
Japanese Sweets:
Hanatsumi Gummies: colorful gummy sweets reminiscent of the colors of Japan’s hydrangeas which were in full bloom at the time of receiving this box. The gummies come in five flavors of strawberry, melon, grape, grapefruit, and ramune. They taste sweet and fruity with a sugary coating. They kind of remind me of jelly babies with their consistency!
Tokyo Skytree Baked Chocolate: a souvenir inspired by one of Tokyo’s iconic landmarks, this soft crumbly biscuit is filled with delicious chocolate.
Hydrangea Amber Sugar: delicate sugar casing and crystallized exterior surrounds a soft apple-flavored sweet inside. Also referred to as ‘edible jewellery’ this item was one of my favorites in the box.
Sugar and Brown Sugar Thunder Okoshi: a Tokyo-inspired treat featuring sweet and sticky rice cakes. The packaging proudly showcases an image of the iconic red lantern from Senso-ji Temple.
Blueberry Tartlet: a mini tart with a sweet and soft blueberry jam center, this was another of my favorite items.
Adzuki & Custard Edo Matsuri Ningyo-Yaki: these miniature baked doll-shaped fluffy sponge cakes are the perfect example of a traditional Japanese sweet. However, confession time, I’m not a fan of red bean paste so I only ate the custard ningyo-yaki – which I enjoyed immensely!
Milk Tea Belgian Waffle: when I opened the packaging for this snack item it gave off the most amazing fruity tea aroma! This soft milk tea-flavored sponge cake was another of my favorite items.
Mochi Monaka: this mochi snack had a crispy, flaky exterior with a soft and smooth sweet red bean paste flavored filling. This is a very traditional kind of Japanese sweet but not one of my favorites to be honest.
Mizu Warabimochi: this mochi had a very soft jelly-like texture that was almost liquid – giving the appearance of an exquisite raindrop. It came with molasses for sweetness and soybean flour to balance the sweetness.
Savory Japanese Snacks/Salty Snacks:
Hineri Arari: savory and puffy rice snacks with a salty and slightly spicy flavor.
Cheese & Pepper Otsumami: these rice puffs mixed with peanuts have a strong cheese aroma and taste. Along with the Hineri Arari mentioned previously, these would make good beer snacks.
Vegetable Karinto: slightly sweet tasting vegetable flavored chip sticks – think sweet potato, pumpkin, and carrot.
Kuromame Tea: a black bean tea made from soybeans, it has a barley like aroma and a subtle nutty taste. This caffeine-free tea is also rich in antioxidants.
Is the Sakuraco Box good value for money?
Although the Sakuraco box may seem slightly more expensive at $37.50 for a one-off box compared to other subscription boxes, I think it’s worth the extra money as the contents are such unique high-quality items you could never find yourself outside of Japan.
A lot of the other boxes feature similar mass-produced products such as Pocky and Kit Kats – which are easily available outside of Japan.
Potential Downsides
I have to say, my overall experience with the Sakuraco box was very positive, with just a couple of small cons:
- Customs delay and additional fee – as mentioned previously, I had to fill out additional paperwork and pay a small fee of 3 Euros before Finnish customs would deliver the box to me. I don’t know what the reason was, but I have had issues ordering items to Finland from outside the EU before. I don’t know if this is a situation unique to Finland, and if it’s easier in other EU countries, but something to consider I suppose. I’m sure for different countries the process would not include so much bureaucracy!
- Dietary restrictions – some of the items described as ‘vegetarian friendly’ in the booklet included gelatin which is obviously made from animals. Also, some of the savory snacks were said to contain traces of chicken and pork yet were still labeled vegetarian-friendly. So any vegetarians should check the list of ingredients before eating to be safe.
Conclusion:
I was gifted this box by the company in exchange for an honest review – which is what I have tried my best to do in this article. This is who I think the box is best suited for:
Couples looking for a fun stay-at-home date night idea
My husband and I had a date night at home with the Sakuraco box, trying out all the different snacks and making tasting notes. I’d say it’s a particularly fun activity for couples with young children like us who can’t go out to restaurants very often! Our two-year-old daughter also helped us out trying some of the snacks which were suitable – she particularly liked the arare rice crackers and jelly candies!
People who are planning a trip to Japan
If you’re planning a trip to Japan purchasing the Sakuraco box is a fantastic way to get excited for your trip and offers you a taste of what to expect when you’re traveling. You can then look for any snacks you particularly enjoyed from your boxes during your travels and stock up on them to bring home!
People who love Japanese culture and food
For people like me who are really interested in Japanese food and culture, this would make a great gift item for Christmas or a birthday. I also like the idea that by purchasing this box, you are supporting the small businesses and local makers that produce the snacks.
Alternatives to Sakuraco Boxes
Whilst the Sakuraco box is my personal favorite of the Japanese snack boxes, you could also try the Tokyo Treat box which is made by the same company. The Tokyo Treat box features more well-known snacks that you find in Japanese convenience stores as well as limited edition snacks from bigger Japanese brands.
If you’re interested in trying the Sakuraco box you can order it here.
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