Japan Crate is a monthly subscription box that sends candy and snacks from Japan. The box aims to "recreate the excitement of exploring Japan through fun candy and everything kawaii," and the assortment is handpicked straight from Japan.
There are 3 crate sizes to choose from: Mini, Original, and Premium.
This review is of the Premium crate.
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
The Subscription Box: Japan Crate
The Cost: $12/month for Mini crate, $25/month for Original crate, $30/month for Premium crate. Free shipping to the US.
COUPON: Save $5 off your first Original or Premium box with code MSA5!
The Products: Candy and snacks from Japan!
Ships to: Internationally with exceptions found here.
Check out all of our Japan Crate reviews and the Food Subscription Box Directory!
Keep Track of all Your Subscriptions: Add Japan Crate to your subscription list or wishlist!
Each box comes with a "manga-zine" that details the included snacks along with literature on Japanese food and culture.
Umaibo - Tonkatsu Sauce
Tonkatsu is deep fried pork chop, while tonkatsu sauce is what coats this puffed stick. The sauce is a tangy and salty concoction but it's honestly pretty overwhelming. I recognize this taste from other Japanese foods I've eaten (I think it may have been on takoyaki) but I'm not a fan...
Corn Potage Puffs
Corn potage is a creamy soup popular in Japan. These taste a bit sweet when you first crunch down but then it turns into a savory potato puff. It takes a bit getting used to that initial sweetness but I really like it.
Super Heart Chiple
These are chips shaped like hearts and flavored with yakiniku (grilled meat) BBQ. I love these-- they're crunchy and meaty. I could down a whole family-sized bag of this.
Nagai Sour Gummy
This is a long sour gummy rope covered in sugar crystals. This month's flavor is orange and I daresay it's quite yummy.
Choco Shinamikonja Imashita
The info card states that the name means "to be soaked in chocolate." They taste like chocolate-covered wafer cookies, and oh boy are they crispy and delicious.
Closeup of the Choco Shinamikonja Imashita wafers.
Cola Dinosaur Gummy
Finally we come to the obligatory cola-flavored snack. I reconciled my hesitance about cola flavored things with the fact that I love gummies. This tastes ok!
Otona No Amasa Kit Kat
These aren't regular Kit Kats but a fancier version meant to cater to adult taste buds! I'm not sure what that says about me though, I could feast on regular Kit Kats if I wanted to. They are dark chocolate even though they taste like milk chocolate to me.
Matcha Condensed Milk Candy
I never say no to matcha! The hard candies are individually wrapped. Each piece is a delicious balance of cream, sugary sweetness, and matcha. When you get to the center of the candy you're welcomed by more sweet, creamy filling.
Paricchu Red Budou
These are grape-flavored hard candies that taste very similar to those lollipops with gum in their centers, except these are filled with grape taffy.
Tsugaru Apple Sakeru Gummy
I'm not sure how to explain this candy. It's a bit stretchy and chewy like Twizzlers but each piece is individually wrapped. You can peel sections off like string cheese too. It tastes like fresh apple juice and the aroma alone is enough to make my mouth water. I love this gummy candy.
Umai Sittori Choco
Here is another delicious chocolate-covered treat. It's very similar to the Choco Shinamikonja Imashita wafers except these are circular and heart-shaped rice puffs.
Closeup of the Tsugary Apple Sakeru Gummy.
Aomori Apple Soda
More apple-y goodness! This soda tastes like sparkling apple juice but the flavor is lighter and sweeter and more refreshing. I'm sad to report that the can is smaller than regular US-sized sodas-- I would love to have more!
Maple Butter Beer Rue Ramune
This is surprisingly tasty! The candies are like Smarties but dissolve much faster. The flavor reminds me of the creamy butterbeer I had at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The front of the bag even has a little wizard holding butterbeer!
Legend of Zelda Lanyard
The Premium crate bonus this month is this Legend of Zelda lanyard. It's sturdy and great quality. Since I have multiple lanyards already I'll gift this to a gamer friend.
Okashina Salon DIY Kit
This month's DIY kit is so fun! The kit lets you make and style strawberry candy hair. The candy actually tastes great too. I enjoyed styling the candy a little too much.
Here I document some hairstyles. I can totally be a hairdresser now.
Verdict: I thought this month's Japan Crate was great! My favorite is the Tsugaru Apple Sakeru Gummy! The apple flavor is so robust and delicious. This continues to be a great box for trying tasty, hard-to-find Japanese snacks. With a total of 15 items, this box came to an average of $2 per snack!
What do you think of Japan Crate?
Please do not enter your email address in the Name field or in the comment content. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *. Remember to post with kindness and respect. Comments with offensive language, cruelness to others, etc will not be approved. See our full comment policy here.