Japan Crate is a monthly subscription that sends full-sized Japanese candy and DIY food kits straight from Tokyo.
Japan Crate sent us this Premium Crate 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 contains a booklet that lists the items in the box.
The booklet also provides instructions for the DIY kit and spotlights certain items in the box. It reads back to front and right to left like manga.
It also reveals the month’s “Sugoi Crate,” a large box full of giant Japanese candy and electronics that one lucky subscriber receives instead of their usual crate. Sugoi Crates are valued at over $500, and subscribers are automatically entered to win.
Neither of these items are listed in this month’s booklet; however, my box is missing one of the items that is: a bag of Fujiya Lollipops. I didn’t receive a note in my box about the substitution, but I’m assuming that the lollipops became unavailable and these items were added to the box instead. I like both of these snacks, so I’m just fine with the swap. In fact, Cookies and Cream Pejoy is one of my favorite Japanese snacks! The crisp chocolate sticks are filled with a creamy cookie filling, and they’re out of this world good!
Purple Sweet Potato Sticks
According to Japan Crate, purple sweet potatoes are a popular vegetable in Japan that can be found in lots of different treats. Like pumpkins, purple sweet potatoes are seasonal and pop up in Japanese markets in the fall and winter. These pink, crispy Purple Sweet Potato Sticks are a little sweet and a little salty. They’re really tasty and actually taste like sweet potatoes.
Glico Man Caramel & Toy
This treat comes with both heart-shaped caramel candies and a surprise toy! I received a tiny top that’s shaped like a cat’s face.
I’ve received Black Thunder candy bars before in subscription boxes, and I think they’re really yummy. Each dark chocolate bar is filled with cookie pieces and rice puffs.
Meiji Dice Caramel
Each small dice box (this pack has 5) contains two small caramels. I love the pocket-sized packaging and how easy it is to share this treat with friends!
Spy vs. Spy Sour Gum
I’ve learned to always read the product guide before digging into my Japan Crate because these’s often at least one goodie that demands an explanation. This Spy vs. Spy Sour Gum Game is a great example. The package contains two long, identical strips of gum; however, they are not the same. One strip is sweet and one strip is very sour. Grab a friend and choose a stick! (Full disclosure: I tried both strips and thought they were each yummy in their own way.)
This is another interactive gum treat. The packet contains long strips of gum that are each printed with a fortune. Japan Crate provided a guide to the fortunes here, but they’re still pretty difficult to decode. Luckily, it’s easy to tell whether the fortune is good or bad based on the color of the stick. Most of the sticks are white, but some are darker and indicate an ominous fortune. The bad luck sticks even turn your tongue red!
If you could eat grape soda, this is what it would taste like. Each bag of Pachishuwa Grape Soda Mix contains chewy grape candies, pop rocks, and fizzy dust and, when you eat them all together, they fizz and crackle just like real soda.
Fluffy Long Neck Marshmallow
Four different flavors are woven together to form this marshmallow stick. It’s soft and fluffy and sings to me of childhood.
Naruto Blind Box (BONUS ITEM!)
Every month, Japan Crate includes a bonus item for premium crate subscribers. This month’s bonus is a mini Naruto ninja! Here’s mine:
I have a friend who’s a big fan of the Naruto manga, so I’ll be saving this little guy for stocking season.
Chunosuke Water
Premium Crates always contain a Japanese beverage, and this month’s addition is Chunosuke Water, a sport beverage that comes in grape and apple flavors. I received apple, and it’s slightly tart and uncarbonated. I’m a fan of the flavor and the cute packaging.
Superstring Q
As a huge fan of gummy candy, this treat was right up my alley. It’s a 50 inch long, grape-flavored, sweet and sour gummy string. I love the combination of flavors, and the long length made it a lot of fun to eat.
Funassyi Furi-Furi Shake DIY Kit
Funassyi is a giant pear creature who is extremely popular in Japan. (For anyone interested in learning more about Funassyi and the rise of “creepy cute” Japanese characters, I’d recommend checking out this article .) This DIY kit allows you to make your own pear-flavored, Funassyi-inspired shake.
Since the directions to Japanese DIY Kits are often in Japanese, Japan Crate includes instructions in their booklet.
Unlike some of the kits I’ve received in the past, this one was extremely easy and straightforward. I started by filling the provided cup with milk and then adding an ice cube and a packet of powder. I tightly placed the lid on top and shook the cup until the powder dissolved. I added the straw, and voila!
I was never a big fan of flavored milk when I was a kid, but I really like this pear shake. The flavor is sweet and fairly subtle, and the decorative Funassyi cup makes it feel special.
Verdict: I always have so much fun exploring the treats in my Japan Crate. It’s so much fun to discover new candy, and I love that I always walk away learning just a little bit about Japanese culture. I never do a price breakdown for this box because it’s tricky to find all of the items available for sale online, but I definitely think the price is fair. Premium Japan Crates are always packed to the brim with goodies!
Do you subscribe to Japan Crate? What do you think of this month’s goodies?
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