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 "Autumn Moon Festival". We're talking snacks bundled with the vibes of tsukimi, the Japanese tradition of viewing and embracing the serene beauty of the autumn moon. 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. Tsukimi Ryokucha
2. Rsukimi Mikan Cream Cookie
3. Tsukimi Dish
4. Chestnut Dorayaki
5. Lemon Baked Chocolate
6. Hokkori Sweet Potato
7. Custard Taiyaki
8. Kodaimai Senbei
9. Black Sesame Miso Arare
10. Cocoa Black Soybeans
11. Usagi Pon Senbei
12. Tsukimi Candy
13. Usagi Hozui
14. Kokuto Kinako Mochi

Out of the snacks above, I most enjoyed the Kokuto Kinako Mochi which had a sweet and gelatinous shell that was as nutty 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 Tsukimi Dish. I'm used to receiving new dishware from Sakuraco but this one looks almost too good to eat from. The full moon cut-out has a matte texture giving this dish an especially premium feel and it's completely microwave and dishwasher safe.

If snacks were judged on their aesthetic value, I would rank the Custard Taiyaki highest. These fish-shaped cakes were fun to look at and filled with a generous amount of indulgent custard cream 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 "Moon Fest Snacktacular". We're talking snacks in the vibe of watching the moon in Japan, AKA tsukimi. 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 Matcha
2. Twist Corn BBQ Flavour
3. Crunky Cookie Ball
4. Caramel Popcorn
5. Garlic Shrimp Japanese-Style Chips
6. Premium Black Thunder Butter Flavour
7. Banana Castella
8. Cream Collon Lemon Flavour
9. Golden Moon Senbei
10. Senbei & Peanut Snack Mix
11. Full Moon Rabbit Senbei
12. Champon Noodles
13. Fried Squid Senbei
14. Mini Mochi Candy
15. Mini Moonlight Cookies

Out of the snacks above, I most enjoyed the Fried Squid Senbei. Seafood never disappoints and squid is one of those flavours that Japan has had centuries to perfect due to the abundance of fishing in the country. The salty and umami kick made me dearly wish there more senbei in the bag.

I was most surprised by the Banana Castella. Having been to Japan myself, I can totally see the resemblance to the famous "Tokyo Banana" in this treat and the fluffy castella cake was full of the banana-infused sweet bean paste I previously enjoyed during my last trip to Tokyo.

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: