Bokksu is a premium Japanese snack subscription service. Each box includes an assortment of authentic Japanese snacks as well as a tea pairing chosen to complement and enhance that month's flavors.
Everything was packaged very carefully.
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: Bokksu
The Cost: $39.00 per month + free shipping
The Products: 13-15 premium Japanese snacks plus a tea pairing
Ships to: USA only
Check out the Food Subscription Box Directory and make sure to add Bokksu to your subscription list or wishlist!
July's box is all about combating Natsubate (summer fatigue).
Mizu Yokan
Yokan is a general term for thick, jelly dessert that's typically made with red bean paste. These are a little more watery than usual yokan. I received 3 flavors-- I think two were green (mung) bean paste and red bean paste but couldn't tell what the middle flavor was. I chilled them before eating. The jelly is thick and has a grainy bean texture. My favorite flavor is the red bean. I recommend eating each jelly in small slices because the flavor is pretty strong!
Close up of two of the three flavors.
Monaka
Monaka is a traditional dessert typically made with crispy mochi wafer shells and red bean filling. The round one is chestnut and the square one is red bean. If you're not familiar with red bean desserts you may not be used to its gritty texture. I found these really delicious partly because it reminded me of traditional Chinese snacks I used to eat (red bean is a popular ingredient in both countries).
Mikan Jelly
These jelly cups are my favorite discovery from the box! Bokksu recommends eating them chilled-- the result is so refreshing! The jelly is citrusy sweet and has bits of mikan (mandarin orange) mixed into it. I think this is a great dessert or snack for the hot summer months.
Yubari Melon Pure Jelly
These little ones are also jelly but are made from yubari melon, a type of cantaloupe. They taste even more delicious frozen or chilled, which I think has become a pattern for this month's box.
Yuzu Mochi
Yuzu is a type of citrus fruit and is an ingredient in this mochi snack. The citrus flavor does not overwhelm the original mochi flavor, but I like that I can identify some zest when eaten in small bites.
Mugicha
Mugicha is barley tea, and Bokksu includes two tea bags. I'm a fan of barley tea but have never had it chilled before. The info card suggests steeping the tea bag in a pitcher for one hour, but the flavor was much too light for my tastes, so I left mine in the fridge overnight. The resulting tea brings out toasty and nutty flavors somewhere in the back of my tongue. It's very refreshing!
Verdict: Bokksu is such a unique box! Not only did I learn plenty about Japanese summertime snacks, but I also thought the curation was amazing and different from other snack subscriptions. I loved the tea pairing and was happy that none of the items were meltable in the summer heat. That said, the pricing is high for what I received. This month's box has 6 types of snacks or 18 individual snacks total, which breaks down to about $2.17 per snack. While I thought everything was delicious, it's a bit of a risk to only have 6 types of foods. If I don't like even one food, it cuts down the value of the box by a significant amount. I think the box should include more variation or simply more snacks to justify a nearly $40 subscription.
What do you think of Bokksu?
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