A new month means new boxes from Sakuraco and TokyoTreats for imported snacks from Japan. While both boxes are filled with Japanese snacks, the branding and snack contents are made for slightly different audiences. Both boxes are the same price points for all subscription levels and guarantee the delivery of authentic Japanese for your friends and loved ones. Join me in my discovery of both boxes this cherry blossom season to see what's inside.

Sakuraco

Sakuraco (starting at $32.50 USD/mo for 12 months) specializes in a refined snack experience. This month's theme was "A Night of Sakura". We're talking sakura cakes, savoury corn puffs, and straight up Japanese chinaware. This box would be ideal for somebody who loves savoury snacks or enjoys a Japanese tea with their Japanese snacks. In my box, I received the following:

1. Blueberry Hibiscus Tea
2. Sakura Castella
3. Sakura Cream Cookie
4. Sakura Houten Tetra
5. Cheese Arare
6. Shoyu Corn Puffs
7. Sakura Mochi
8. Cherry Blossom Yokan
9. Sakura Glass
10. Sakura Cashew Nuts
11. Strawberry Butter Senbei
12. White Chocolate Strawberries
13. Strawberry Manju

Out of the snacks above, I most enjoyed the Cherry Blossom Yokan which had a sweet and salty chewiness that has been unlike any other Japanese snacks I've seen in stores in Vancouver, Canada.

I was most surprised by the Blueberry Hibiscus Tea. Imported tea is sometimes hit and miss especially when the tea leaves are fresh. This one was packed full of blueberry aroma and I almost wanted to brew a second cup as soon as I finished my first.

If snacks had an aesthetic value, I would rank the Sakura Mochi. These were gently-dusted morsels infused with the aroma of sakura leaves and had an amazing colour that was just as tasty as it looked.

TokyoTreat

Next I opened the TokyoTreat (starting at $32.50/mo USD for 12 months) box and this month's theme was "Sakura Matsuri" (Cherry Blossom Festival). We're talking exclusive chips, senbei crackers, and other sweet treats. This box would be ideal for somebody who loves festive snacks, sweet surprises, or wild variations of their favourite KitKat sticks. In my box, I received the following:

1. KitKat Strawberry
2. Sakura Cream Cake
3. Platinum Sakura Sweet Tart
4. Sakura Waffle Cookie
5. Koikeya Nori Shio Chips
6. Acerola Cherry Juice
7. Sakura Karinto
8. Premium Ghana
9. Glico Bisco Cracker
10. Strawberry Yogurt Hard Candies
11. Ramune Candy
12. Mini Caplico
13. Curry Senbei Crackers
14. Squid Rice Cracker

Out of the snacks above, I most enjoyed the Koikeya Nori Shio Chips chips. These were wonderfully kelpy chips that didn't overload on the grease. I wish more North American brands could take note for their Asian-flavoured chips.

I was most surprised by the Acerola Cherry Juice. Generally, canned or boxed juices in North America are very sweet and I have to be careful how much I drink because the sheer amount of sugar leaves a sticky residue on my teeth. This juice had all the flavour of cherry in a much more tolerable amount of sweetness.

Subscription Options:

Both TokyoTreat and Sakuraco boxes can be had for as low as $32.50/month, but if you're not ready for that kind of commitment, 6, 3, and 1-month options are also available. For gifts, I like to give the 3-month subscription because you get to see how the snacks rotate through the seasons and your recipient gets to reminded of your great gift-giving skills 3 different times.

Compared to other subscription boxes I've tried, both TokyoTreat and Sakuraco go an extra mile by providing a little booklet describing the goods inside and share holiday or seasonal travel guides based on the theme of the month. There might be 2-4 fewer overall snacks inside but I also appreciate the price point being lower than competitors. It's a fair tradeoff and I think you get 95% of the joy.

Final Thoughts:

One-liner: Sakuraco and TokyoTreat offer different vibes of subscription boxes filled with a variety of treats and Japanese lore for you to eat your way through every Japanese season
Highlight: Sakuraco snacks
Price per box: Starting from $32.50 USD a month for 12 months

To order your own Sakuraco or TokyoTreat box, head on over to the links below: