Japan Crate is a monthly subscription box service that sends candy and snacks straight from Japan. The box aims to “recreate the excitement of exploring Japan through fun candy and everything kawaii."
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 gives details about the snacks in each box, along with information on Japanese food and culture.
Anpanman Soft Cracker
This is a bang for your buck snack! Within the package, there were 15, 2-packs of these crackers and I want more! They taste like most rice cakes and the packaging, which showcases a Japan anime character, is so fun and unique.
Soft Soda Soft Candy
This soft candy melts in your mouth but is too sour for me to have more than one at a time. They have the texture of a jellybean and the taste is like nothing I’ve had before. I definitely recommend to anyone who loves a sour candy.
Triangular Cracker Vegetable
These were a top contender in this month’s crate for me! They are very similar in taste to the American snack, Veggie Crips, but these are thinner and crumble less, which I personally like. 10 out of 10 in taste and texture!
Mochi Taro: Salt
These have a similar look and texture to croutons but are much saltier, which isn’t a problem for me! They are pretty simple and crisp and I think would be good dipped in any hummus type of dip.
Ice Stick Lollipop
This is a pretty classic tasting lollipop; it really reminds me of a grape Popsicle which I loved! It wasn’t overly sweet or sour; it’s pretty similar to any lollipop I’ve ever had in the past.
Shin-Chan Puripuri Pudding #5
This is a DIY pudding kit, which was a fun surprise to me! The directions are in Japanese and there isn’t any information in the English pamphlet on how to make, so I guess I’ll be making some guestimates on measurements!
Rilakkuma Pretzel
The flavors of these pretzel sticks are delicious and taste like honey and butter –yum! They are basically Pocky sticks without the icing and aren’t overly sweet or salty. I think these are my favorite treat in the box, 10 out of 10!
Corn Potage
These are the consistency of cheese puffs, which I really liked, but the corn flavor is quite overbearing in my opinion. I’m not the biggest fan of corn, so I had a few friends try and overall, I got a pretty positive response and most said they wanted more!
Pike8
In the pamphlet, these were described as a rice cracker but they are a little bit tougher than I’m used to, but this isn’t a bad thing. The flavor is also much more buttery than I’m used to, and I’m definitely not complaining about that! I would recommend this product to anyone who likes a salty rice cake.
Roll Candy Strawberry 20G
This candy is just like the American classic, the Fruit Roll-Up and is delicious! My only complaint is that it was very sticky and hard to peel off the paper. I haven’t had a Fruit Roll-Up in quite some time, but I don’t remember them being this sticky! Nonetheless, I very much enjoyed it. ☺
Choco Anpan
These “cookies” were one of my favorite treats in the crate. They have a soft breaded shell with a delicious chocolate on the inside! I’ve never had anything like this before but I would recommend to anyone who loves chocolate chip cookies.
Pudding Shake
I love trying fun drinks but I was pretty hesitant about this one. I put the shake on ice and while the flavor tasted like vanilla yellow pudding (yum!), the texture was thick and gooey which I did not like at all. I couldn’t even finish it.
Lactic Acid Bacteria is Alive!
These strawberry yogurt flavored hard candies contain live lactic acid bacteria. Per the pamphlet that was included in the crate, it notes that this bacterium is an important probiotic for any age. Along with being helpful to your health, they also taste great!
Genji Pie
Shaped like hearts, these flaky textured little “pies” have a caramelized sugar exterior and are quite sweet and delicious! I really enjoyed this one!
Bonus Item: Really Molded Sushi Toy
Not for consumption, this fun toy is a great reason to play with your food! The “rice” is a foamy material and the “fish” is a piece of plastic. I think I’ll keep this at my desk at work and put it next to my stress relievers.
Verdict: I really enjoyed the entire Japan Crate experience from start to finish! From the packaging to the unique tastes of the treats, the whole crate was very fun to explore! There were 15 treats in my crate, plus a bonus toy, so the value per piece in this month’s shipment is $2. For a fun and tasty experience, I’d say that’s a steal!
What did you think about the products in this month's Japan Crate?
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