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 to celebrate the traditional and snacktastic seasons.

Sakuraco

Sakuraco (starting at $32.50 USD/mo for 12 months) specializes in a refined snack experience. This month's theme was "Islands of Okinawa". We're talking snacks bundled with the vibes of the Miyako Islands, Kerama Islands, and Yaeyama Islands, all within Okinawa prefecture. 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. Vanilla Cream Waffle Cookie
2. Yuzu Lemon Manju
3. Sanpin Tea
4. Mango Jelly
5. Sweet Potato Chinsuko
6. Hozui Sweetfish
7. Kingyo Mino Ware Plate
8. Summer Senbei
9. Wasabi Sesame Arare
10. Black Sesame Karinto
11. Fried Edamame
12. Shikuwasa Kokuto
13. Okinawa Salted Caramel Nut Sable
14. Kokuto Peanuts
15. Kokuto Castella Cakes

Out of the snacks above, I most enjoyed the Mango Jelly which had a sweet and gelatinous shell that was as tangy as it was jiggly. This was almost restaurant-quality and to think it came in a box is pretty awesome.

I was most surprised by the Fried Edamame. I'm used to edamame being a soft appetizer at izakayas but this fried edition was very enjoyable and full of flavour from being fried under reduced pressure. I could eat a bag of these.

If snacks were judged on their aesthetic value, I would rank the Kokuto Castella Cakes highest. These were acorn-shaped cakes that were fun to look at and extremely fluffy in the mouth.

TokyoTreat

Next I opened the TokyoTreat (starting at $32.50/mo USD for 12 months) box and this month's theme was "Summer Matsuri Flavorfest". We're talking snacks in the vibe of festival flavours, AKA natsu matsuri. 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 Gold Caramel
2. Don Don Yaki Kimchi
3. Cool Down Candy
4. 7 Stick Choco Cream
5. Seven Spice & Mayo Karinto
6. Manneken Waffle Cookies & Cream
7. Super Sour Vinegar Chips
8. Kakigoori Gummies
9. Chocolate Cookies
10. Yakisoba Bites
11. Cheese Cream Pancake
12. Hiyashi Ramen
13. Ramune Mochi
14. Marshmallow Streamer
15. Edamame Chips

Out of the snacks above, I most enjoyed the Manneken Waffle Cookies & Cream. I'm such a homer but this is a really popular street food stall in Tokyo and I went at least once during my last trip there. I'm happy to report the snack version of Manneken has all the fluffiness you expect even if it had to fly thousands of miles to arrive at your doorstep and isn't as warm.

I was most surprised by the Cheese Cream Pancake. I never knew I wanted cheese cream in my pancake until this snack. The combination of cream cheese, gouda, and cheddar made for an extra savoury experience I was puzzled yet mesmerized by.

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: