Japan Crate Subscription Box Review + Coupon – May 2017

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 review is for the Premium, $30 a month, 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 a month for the Mini crate, $25 a month for the Original crate, $30 a month for the Premium crate. Free shipping to the U.S. Save with 3, 6, and 12-month subscriptions

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. 

Cream Collon: Strawberry

These are bite-sized strawberry cream wafers. The box includes six individual packets, which makes them easy to share if you're the generous type. I was too busy stuffing my face to share. I couldn't get enough of the strawberry cream's whipped texture.

Fugashi

This is a puffed snack coated in a thin layer of brown sugar. The whole thing hardly has any mass so it's essentially like eating brown sugar. I didn't really like the aftertaste. I probably wouldn't eat it again.

Umai Ring Cheese

Japan Crate describes this as a Cheeto-flavored Funion, and I think it is 100% accurate. Each puffed ring is covered in a generous amount of powdered cheese. I like licking my fingers after eating each one.

Meigum Gaburichu: Cola

Gaburichu is a taffy-like soft candy, and Cola is its most popular and iconic flavor. The texture is chewy and it dissolves in your mouth quickly like Skittles. If you've seen past boxes you'll know that Cola-flavored snacks are a mainstay in Japan Crate's snack lineup. I've slowly grown to appreciate the flavor.

Dondon Yaki: Kimchi

Dondon yaki is a variation of okonomiyaki. These puffed snacks recreate the savory taste of kimchi-flavored dondon yaki. The kimchi is very subtle-- if you're looking for bold flavor you probably won't find it here. Despite that, I really enjoyed munching on the puffed snacks.

Shimi Chocolate Corn

These are chocolate-dipped star shaped corn puffs. Just one bite had me hooked. I'm a fan of chocolate dipped anything, but something about the corn puff and smooth milk chocolate combo just taste like perfection.

Petit Pastel DIY Colorful Chocolate Snack Kit

This DIY kit is set up like an ice cream stand at a festival. I was super excited to try it out, but there was one problem...

The chocolates arrived melted. I salvaged most of the chocolate and the flavors were great! The ice cream cone looking pieces are actually wafer bites coated in different colored candy. I wish I was able to experience the DIY part, though.

Hello Kitty Choco Marshmallow

This is a bite-sized marshmallow with a chocolate cream filling. The marshmallow is pillowy soft and the sweetness gently rolls over the tongue. It's lovely! I wish I had more.

6-Piece Crispy Corn

These are crispy corn puff snacks that try to recreate the taste of sweet corn on the cob. In reality, they taste similar to those breadstick-shaped pieces in Chex Mix. Maybe it's no coincidence that they look similar too.

Wasabi Nori Tarou

This is wasabi and seaweed flavored dried fish, and it's my least favorite snack of the box. The first thing I taste is wasabi. There is a bit of sweet and salty in there too. The meat is also very tough-- it's like I'm eating a piece of stale jerky. Sadly it's not for me.

Mitsuya Cider: Refreshing Lemon

This cider is described as a hybrid between ginger ale and Sprite. It is very sweet like other soft drinks, but what sets it apart is the subtleties in the flavor. The sparkling lemon undertone really is refreshing!

Caramel Corn

I love Tohato Caramel Corn! This snack is like the Japanese version of Cracker Jack. Each corn puff wears a delicate coat of caramel. There are also a few peanuts at the bottom of the bag for a slight change of flavor. I have had this snack many times and will never tire of it.

Don Taro

This snack is just crushed up udon noodles, but it is just as addicting as potato chips! I really can't get enough. Maybe it's the wonderfully savory flavors of soy sauce and dashi soup. Maybe it's the satisfying crunchiness. I'll take more, please.

Roll Cake: Strawberry Cream

This is a snack-sized strawberry cream swiss cake roll. The cake is soft, moist, and sweet while the strawberry cream adds a lot of-- you guessed it-- creaminess. The taste is similar to that of Strawberry Cream Collon. What a delightful sweet treat!

Pokemon Sticker Gum

This packet comes with a small piece of gum and a mystery Pokemon sticker. The gum is fine if you just want something to chew on, but the flavor doesn't last long.

It turns out that the sticker is actually a 16-piece jigsaw puzzle. I received Pancham, which looks like a young delinquent panda. Appropriately enough, it is a fighting-type Pokemon.

One Piece Stationery Set

This is a bonus item! Subscribers get one of 6 types of One Piece stationery sets. It comes with six notes, two envelopes, and a sticker sheet. This is one of the coolest bonus items I've ever received!

Verdict: I always have fun with Japan Crate! Even though I wasn't a fan of everything, I appreciate the balanced mix of sweet and savory snacks. Plus, it's exciting to learn about Japan one bite at a time. My favorite for this month is the Shimi Chocolate Corn but the Cream Collon is a close second. I'm slightly disappointed that my chocolate DIY kit arrived melted, but maybe Japan Crate can prevent it from happening again in the future. There was 16 items total for an average value of $1.88 per snack.

What do you think of Japan Crate?