Japan Crate is a monthly subscription that sends full-sized, Japanese candy and DIY food kits straight from Tokyo.
Japan Crate sent us this box for review purposes. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
The Subscription Box: Japan Crate
The Cost: $12 per month for the mini crate (4-6 candies); $25 per month for the original crate (8-12 candies and DIY Kits); $30 per month for the premium crate (10-14 candies and DIY Kits).
The Products: Full-sized Japanese candy and DIY food kits.
Ships to: Worldwide. (US shipping is free. Shipping elsewhere is $10.)
Japan Crate includes a card detailing the items in the box. (Note that this is a review of the premium crate.)
On the reverse, there’s a really neat cartoon.
Power Squash
This energy drink has a flavor like bubblegum or cotton candy, but with the zip of a Red Bull. I tend to steer clear of energy drinks, so I’ll pass this along to an adventurous friend.
On Shokora Houjun
Koume Chan Plum
I really liked the On Shokora Houjun bar! It’s a dark chocolate bar topped with freeze-dried pieces of strawberry and raspberry. I love freeze-dried fruit, but I’d never tried it on chocolate before. Delicious!
The Koume Chan Plum candies are sweet and sour ume gummies with a yuzu jelly center. According to Japan Crate, yuzu (aromatic citrus) and ume (sour plum) are popular Japanese fruits. I liked these gummies, and I thought the ume & yuzu combination was unusual and delicious.
Kami Bikkuriman Wafer
Fujiya Fruit Drops
The Fujiya Fruit Drops tasted a lot like traditional American hard candies. They come in grape, lemon, pineapple, and strawberry.
According to Japan Crate, card + wafer packs are very popular in Japan, and I think it’s interesting to see cards packed with something other than bubble gum! Here’s a picture of what was inside the pack:
I don’t know anything about this card range, but I like the artwork.
Meiji Japanese White Chocolate Bar (40 g.)- $2.93
Glico Kapuriko Mini- $1.36
I prefer dark chocolate to white, but I still enjoyed this bar. Apparently, Meiji is one of Japan’s most famous confectionery companies. Japan Crate recommends trying this frozen, which is such a great idea, I think.
I’m getting used to seeing these cone-shaped candies in Japanese boxes. Luckily, I really enjoy them. Japan Crate subscribers received chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry. (Mine was vanilla.)
Kantorimaamu Crispy
Hi-Chew Minis (Item is currently out of stock.)- $1.89
The Kantorimaamu crispy cookie was made with oats and granola. I’ve never heard of granola being used in a cookie before!
I really like Hi-Chew, so I was excited to try the mini version. The full sized candies are soft and chewy, but the minis were covered with a hard candy shell. Both versions have great fruit flavors including apple, grape, pineapple, and strawberry.
Animal Pancake DIY (.67 oz)- $2.49
This DIY kit allows you to make your own animal-shaped pancakes. The kit included a tray, mixing spoon, powdered batter mixes, traceable mat, and mini piping bag.
This kit makes one of four animals shapes. (I received the mouse.)
The first step was to mix the batters.
I transferred the pink batter to the piping bag and piped along the outline of the mat, then filled in the empty space with the yellow batter.
The pancake cooked in the microwave for 40 seconds. When it had puffed up and set, I took it out and removed the backing paper.
I think it turned out pretty well! This was definitely the most advanced DIY kit I’ve received so far, but I think older kids (especially those with a love of crafts) would have a lot of fun with it.
NeruNeru Ichigo DIY (Currently Out of Stock) (.77 oz.)- $2.49
Premium crates are guaranteed to include two DIY candy kits. This is the second one I received. This particular DIY Kit provides instructions on how to build your own chocolate-covered strawberry wafer sticks.
This kit was a lot easier than the DIY pancake kit. The first step was to make the strawberry dipping sauce. I poured the pink packet into the mixing tray, stirred in water, and then added the green packet.
When the green packet was added, the strawberry mixture became light, fluffy, and foamy.
To finish, I made the chocolate sauce (by mixing water with the third packet of powder) and transferred the multi-colored crispies into the remaining compartment in the tray.
I then dipped the wafer sticks.
The finished candy was really good! I especially liked the foamy strawberry dip.
Konpeito Sugar Candy BONUS ITEM (3.06 oz)- $2.97
Subscribers to the Premium Japan Crate receive a bonus item each month. This month’s bonus is Konpeito Sugar Candy, described as a sweeter version of rock candy. I love crunchy, sugary candy, and I thought this was delicious.
Verdict: I think Japan Crate is so much fun! It’s hard to determine a value for this box because I couldn’t find the majority of the items for sale online, but I think the price is fair. I love discovering new Japanese candy, and I really enjoy the DIY kits Japan Crate includes in their boxes.
What do you think about Japan Crate? Do you love Japanese DIY snacks too?
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