If you’re a fan of Japanese cuisine, chances are you’ve heard of Sakuraco.
It’s a popular Japanese snacks subscription box that offers a variety of different snack food and has been in business for over 5 years.
The snacks range from dorayaki (fried pancakes) to crackers, slices of bread, jelly, and more.
If you’re unsure whether Sakuraco is right for you, this review is for you. Here’s a look at what you can expect to get in your box.
Table of Contents
Sakuraco Box Overview
Sakuraco is a subscription box service that sends surprise small gifts. Each month, Sakuraco will send you Japanese snacks and food.
The idea is to let you try something new each month and hopefully help you fall in love with Japanese food!
Sakuraco box comes with a sheet of information about the products and what they are. In addition, each month Sakuraco will include a product card.
These cards contain more information about the item. This is always fun to read!
Discovering Unique Japanese Snacks
The Sakuraco box features handpicked items from across Japan: sweet treats from all over the country and unique Japanese teas.
A team of passionate Japanese snack and tea lovers handpicked every item, and you can expect to receive high-quality snacks that are not commonly found in other international snack boxes.
Each box also comes with a “Food Culture Discovery Guide” that helps you learn about the history and culture behind each Japanese snack.
The Sakuraco box ships internationally. The snacks featured in the boxes vary from month to month, with new items being added regularly based on feedback from subscribers.
For me, the snack box subscription was my introduction to Japanese snacks.
While I was familiar with some snacks (e.g. manju, dorayaki, and arare crackers) from previous trips to Japan, it was interesting to see these snacks in a more intimate setting than I had experienced before.
My favorites from past boxes were the Okinawa brown sugar bread, shikuwasa manju, Yokohama orange cake, and Kamakura cream wafer.
Each item was unique and had a distinct flavor. The snack box was a great introduction to Japanese snacks and I am looking forward to seeing what comes in the next box!
Pros and Cons
Since I have subscribed to Sakuraco monthly boxes for quite some time, I am well aware of the company’s style and concept. They ship the boxes monthly to a customer’s doorstep in beautiful recycled packaging.
Each month features a different area or festival of Japan and comes with its wrapping, design, and explanation cards.
What I Like from the Box
Snack Varieties
I love the snack varieties of each box. They always include at least one Japanese tea and at least one Japanese cake or snack.
For example, the April box featured traditional Sakura tea, sakura daifuku, sakura kuzumochi, and sakura manju in celebration of the Sakura Festival.
Not all of them will be suitable for your taste, but you can always find something that you like. Also, the point is to get to know more about Japanese snacks and discover new ones that you like.
Allergen Information
They also include allergen information for all products in the box. It is a great addition to people who can’t eat certain types of food.
The boxes always include English instructions and ingredient lists, so it is easy to find out if the products are suitable for your diet.
Snacks and Culture Discovery Guide
Every box also includes a Snack and Culture Discovery Guide. This guide is really useful because it explains the box theme, the artisans, and the snacks and food featured in the box.
I like how this guide helps you learn about each snack and culture. The guide explains the culture or festival for each month’s theme, how they made the snacks, and what food they pair with. I also like that it has pictures of the snacks, not just descriptions.
The little dish included
The included dish is also of excellent quality. They have original designs and I think they will look great on my table. I love the four-season soup bowl in the June box, with its dark red color and seasonal flower pattern.
Not only bowls, but they also include chopsticks, a spoon, a cup, and a chopstick holder. It feels great to collect each piece. My favorite among the tableware is the ceramics and furoshiki (Japanese wrap).
What I Don’t Like from the Box
Lack of Pairing
I wish some of the snacks would be paired together like a Japanese tea with specific cookies. Each snack comes with a great description mentioning what Japanese typically eat the snack with but pairing for each would have been fun!
Sweet vs Salty Snacks
Another thing that would have been helpful is if we could choose between salty and sweet snacks depending on our taste. The bulk of the snacks we got were sweet but we certainly would have liked an opportunity to select for salty ones.
Final Verdict
Sakuraco is a great box for those who are interested in Japanese snacks and food. It is a great way to discover new snacks and find items you might not find elsewhere.
While the price might be a little high, the quality of the products is worth it. I also love the fact that each box has its theme and design, which makes each box very special.
If you want to learn more about Sakuraco or get your first month of this snack subscription, you can visit their website and subscribe today!
