Freedom Japanese Market is a subscription of “Japanese candies and snacks [that] are pre-selected for each month’s box, with each month offering a new combination of popular, rare, and Japanese exclusive candies and snacks.” There are three sizes offered: Puchi Pack, Original Pack, and Family Pack.
This box was sent to us for review purposes. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
This review is for the $24.99/month Original Pack.
The Subscription Box: Freedom Japanese Market
The Cost: The Original Pack (reviewed here) for $24.99. There is also a Puchi Pack at $14.99 per month and a Family Pack for $45.99 per month. A price break is offered for 3, 6, or 12-month prepaid subscriptions.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save $3 off all Original and Family Pack plans!
CODE: MySubscriptionAddiction
The Products: The Original Pack is the “perfect box of treats from the land of the rising sun.” Each month, you will receive 12-16 full and sample-size snacks (includes a DIY candy kit), 1 handmade origami. A content list with pictures is included in the pack.
Ships to: Free worldwide shipping directly from Japan!
Good to know: The box ships around the 15th of the month. The shipping time estimate is between 10 and 20 days.
Check out all of our Freedom Japanese Market reviews and more sweets subscription boxes in the Food Subscription Box Directory!
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All snacks included are sent directly from Japan and all the labels are in Japanese. Freedom Japanese Market sends a list of the contents that are in the box, along with a brief description in English, so we aren't too confused!
Let's take a look at what's inside!
Mentai Umaibo -"Crunchy puffed corn flavored like pollock fish roe."
I'm not the biggest fan of corn flavored things, so I was pretty hesitant on this one when reading the description. This is basically just one LARGE cheese corn puff, dusted with fish flavoring, which in my opinion, was too overpowering and turned me away from liking this snack. If you like fishy flavors, then this one is for you!
Choco Daifuku - "Sweet mochi with a delicious chocolate filling."
This mochi has the texture of a marshmallow and a not overly sweet chocolate filling, which makes it pretty unique in my opinion. I added this to my morning coffee and it made it a nice sweet treat!
Tonkatsu Umaibo - "Crunchy puffed corn that tastes like pork cutlet sauce."
This is another large corn puff, I assume they're pretty popular in Japan. Sadly, this pork dusted corn snack wasn't a hit with me either; the flavor was a little too much for my palate, so I gave the rest to a friend, who said they liked it!
Little Gang - "Colorful fruit flavored pop rock candy."
This is like the PopRocks candy we have here in the US, and a personal favorite of mine when I was younger. The packaging notes that this candy is meant to be put on ice cream, which is a fun replacement for sprinkles and I look forward to pairing it with that.
Champagne Cider - "These champagne cider flavored candies are alcohol-free."
This 12-pack of gummy, champagne flavored candies actually do taste like champagne and are pretty addicting! I was expecting some type of bubbling feature when biting into them but sadly, I was wrong. Nonetheless, these are pretty tasty and I'd recommend any champagne lover to give them a try.
Orange Queen - "Orange flavored yogurt in a snack-sized serving."
This orange flavored "yogurt" to me felt more like an icing; it was pretty tough and came out in clumps, but overall had a really great orange taste! I wish it was more "dippable" because I think this could pair well with crackers or pretzels - even without, this was still a fun candy to try out!
Caramel Corn - "Fruit au lait flavored curls of sweet puffed corn."
More corn puffs! These puffs are sweet though and much more up my alley. They have a strawberry banana flavoring, which I didn't think I'd like but they are quite delicious and nothing like I've had before - I definitely recommend trying these if you have the chance!
Kinbaku Iri - "Each soda flavored hard candy comes with a tiny fortune."
This soda flavored candy is lemon flavored and similar to any hard candy you would find here in the US. The packaging is quite fun and each candy comes with a fortune which is written in Japanese and is nowhere translated into English.
Pineapple Chips - "Pineapple candy flavored sweet potato chips."
These chips are nothing like I've had before; they're VERY sweet and really do taste like pineapple! They aren't overly salty but since they are so sweet, I can't eat too many, which is a good thing and I'm happy to share with friends.
Kaki no Tane - "A rice cracker and peanut mix flavored with a unique saucy flavor."
This is probably my favorite snack in this month's shipment. These rice crackers are peanut and soy sauce flavored and pack a little spicy heat, which I look for in a snack. My only complaint is that these came in a pretty small package - I want more!
Hora Dekita! DIY - "Use the kit to create mini sized candy versions of candy apples."
This DIY snack is fun for the kids or the kids at heart. You receive 3 ingredients; gummies, sprinkles, and sauce. Be warned the red sauce is very gooey and sticky.
Voila! The end product is this cute looking little candy apple. I'm not the biggest fan of the taste but the activity itself was pretty fun.
Cheese Arare - "Bite-sized delicious cheese flavored rice crackers."
These puffy cheese crackers were a good texture but didn't have enough cheese flavoring for me, so I was pretty underwhelmed when eating them. I dipped in some hummus after, which was a fun alternative and a great way to vamp up the taste of these crackers.
Candy Mic - "Let out your inner singing star with this cute microphone shaped candy case, filled with ramune candy!"
The bonus candy in this month's box is ramune candy, which is a lemon-lime flavored sugar candy that melts in your mouth. I would compare them to the US candy, Smarties, but not as sweet. Nonetheless, this candy is pretty good and I'd recommend!
Freedom Japanese Market includes a handmade origami with every box. This month’s origami is a tiny mushroom, which is a symbol for Fall.
Verdict: This was my second experience with Freedom Japanese Market and for the most part, I really enjoyed it! I love trying new international snacks and while not every snack was perfect for my palate, I enjoyed the experience. I received 13 snack items in this $24.99 (+ free shipping) box, so the average cost of each snack is $1.92, which is quite a good deal in my opinion.
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