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 ($12/month), Original ($25/month), and Premium ($30/month).
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.)
This review is of the Premium, $30 a month, crate.
The Subscription Box: Japan Crate
The Cost: $12 a month for the Mini crate, $25 a month for the Original crate, $30 a month for the Premium crate. Free shipping to the US.
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 information on Japanese food and culture. The theme for November is Japan Throwbacks.
Umai Sugar Rusk
These are corn puff snacks shaped like rusk, or twice-baked baguette slices. The flavor is hard to describe-- it's sugary and salty at the same time. It's an unusual flavor but I came to enjoy it very much.
Saku Saku Panda Cookies Pack
I will never not enjoy Saku Saku Panda cookies! I bemoaned about them in other subscription box reviews during the summer because they always arrived melted. Now that the weather's finally cool, it means I get fully intact chocolate-covered cookies. These are mouthwateringly good!
Chew~ing Straw Green Apple Flavor
These are green apple flavored gummy straws covered in sour sugar candy. They taste almost exactly like Sour Punch Straws.
Sportsubu
These candies contain potassium, sodium, and citric acid. They're like the candy version of a sports drink, and they're meant to provide vitamins and nutrients for people who are active. The taste is just ok, kind of like Mentos, but I love the idea of candy alternatives to sports drinks!
Brazilian Orange Pocky
Brazilian Orange Pocky is part of the promotions for the 2016 Rio Olympics. This special edition Pocky is coated with orange cream chocolate. The citrus flavor is very distinct and it's super delicious!
House Tongari Cone Assari Shio Flavor
These are cone shaped chips that taste just like Bugles! Assari Shio means lightly salted.
Fruit Sour Gummy
These are gummy candies coated in sour sugar crystals. They remind me a little of sour peach gummy rings.
Big Thunder III
I am super obsessed with this chocolate bar! This is made from milk chocolate coated over a chocolate cookie. The crispy cookie and silky chocolate combination is heavenly.
WakuWaku Zoo Animal DIY
Sometimes DIY kits are fun to make but don't taste very good. Thankfully, this one is both fun and tasty! It's a fairly easy kit that makes animal lollipops made from stretchy taffy candy.
Here are the final products. The chewy candy tastes like Laffy Taffy.
Funwashi Choco Monaku
These are wafer shells that contain airy chocolate inside. I've noticed that Japanese snacks like to feature airy chocolate, and I love it! This snack provides the perfect balance of wafer crunch and smooth, creamy chocolate.
Ramune Roulette
Ramune is one of Japan's original sodas, and their bottles are distinctively shaped. Mine is pineapple flavored. It tastes like fizzy pineapple juice, which tastes as delicious as it sounds.
Ramune bottles are sealed by a glass ball that must be pushed down into the bottle to open. Here you see the ball resting in its designated cranny after being opened.
Ginpis Shima Choco Cone
This is an airy, puffy, chocolate coated snack. The cross section is shaped like a star. It tasted delicious and I'm kind of sad I ate mine so quickly...
Coris Sonomanma Grape Fuzen Gum
These are grape flavored gumballs. They're not the most exciting snack but I enjoyed the flavor nonetheless.
Men's Pocky
This is a bonus item. Men's Pocky is designed to be shorter than regular Pocky so that they can fit conveniently in men's shirt pockets! The chocolate is darker and more bitter than its regular counterparts. I shared this snack with my boyfriend, and while he liked it he actually thought the Brazilian Orange Pocky was tastier!
Chobo Chobo Cookies
These mini cookies taste similar to Nilla Wafers but they have a slightly crunchier exterior. They would go great with coffee or tea but I ate them straight out of the bag.
Verdict: With a total of 15 snacks, the cost breakdown is $2 per snack. This box contained mostly candy and chocolate, which really appealed to my sweet tooth. I had a blast trying everything. Plus, the DIY kit was a big hit. Overall this was a great month for me!
What do you think of Japan Crate?
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