The Japan Crate Premium box is all about Fall and the wonderful flavors that come during this time of the year!
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: Premium Box by Japan Crate
The Cost: $30 per month + free shipping
The Products: 15 snacks including a drink, 1 guaranteed DIY kit, and a revolving bonus item
Ships to: Internationally with a few exceptions found here
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This month's booklet takes us through all of the featured snacks with some helpful detail and background for each! There is also a section where you can learn all about November in Japan. Plus, there is a helpful section that goes over step by step how to make your DIY snack of the month.
Let's see what snacks November has to offer!
Mike Popcorn Brown Sugar Caramel - Retail Value $3.98? (linked to a different flavor)
This flavor must be a fall exclusive because I wasn't able to find it anywhere online! According to the booklet, Mike's is a Japan Crate favorite and I can totally see why. The popcorn is oh so sweet from the brown sugar and then you get this creaminess from the caramel. I also got some hints of spice like a pumpkin pie! Such a yummy treat that is perfect for this time of year.
Okusuriya-San Capsule Ramune - Retail Value $0.50?
Okusuriya-san means Mr. Pharmacy which makes sense because this candy parodies the packaging of retro Japanese medicine. The candies look like little pills as well which was interesting! The capsule candy comes in a variety of flavors. The candy itself was a standard hard candy that was extra fruity, but I wasn't really able to taste what the exact flavors were. Overall, the candy didn't blow me away, but the theme of the packaging was super cute!
Sono Manma Cola Gum - Retail Value $1.74 USD
I have received this pack of gum in other boxes and always love them! The pieces of gum are super soft and last a long time. The flavors are just like cola without the bubbles. I love that you get three pieces so you can enjoy them over a few days or share with friends.
Kagikko Chocolate Key - Retail Value $0.32
These little chocolates taste just like M&M's! The little key was a very cute way to showcase the candy, and I could see this being fun to give in a gift bag or a fun present for a kid. I wish there were a little more of the chocolates, but I think the main feature of this snack is the cute key shape.
Rilakkuma Gum - Retail Value $0.79
This is another snack that I have received in a few other boxes, and I always love the adorable packaging. This month's gum flavor is cola, my favorite! The gum itself is on the chewy side, but the cola flavor lasts a long time. A fun and simple treat!
Sweet Poteko: Honey Sweet Potato Flavor - Buy a pack of 4 for $3.60
According to the booklet, honey potato chips are very popular in Asia right now. These little rings are so addicting because they are packed full of that sweet and salty flavor. You get that somewhat bitter sweetness from the sweet potato, that drizzle of honey, and then a bit of salt for layers of flavor. I love a crunchy snack so I could not put this bag down!
Rapoppo Farm Sweet Potato Candy - Retail Value $5.00?
According to the booklet, Rapoppo Farm is a popular sweet potato-themed bakery. The outer candy shell is flavored to taste like sweet potato, and then when you get to the center you get a soft creamy texture with the same flavors. I love sweet potato, but sometimes the flavors can be a bit odd when it isn't the real thing. I found the flavors to be a bit much when eating in candy form. However, my Mom loved this sweet treat and was happy to take the whole bag which was full of individual packets of the hard candy!
Marshmallow Pudding - Retail Value $0.50?
I am beyond sad that I couldn't find this snack online to buy because I was obsessed with it! I love marshmallow and I love pudding. Much to my surprise, the center of this flat marshmallow is a creamy yellow pudding that was sweet like vanilla. The marshmallow was light and fluffy with that perfect amount of sweetness. I wish I had gotten a whole bag of these!
Sumomo Ball - Retail Value $0.50?
This little jelly is peach flavored which took me by surprise since it was such a vibrant pink color! The jelly is made to look like a halved baseball which is so cute and appropriate since we just finished baseball season. The snack itself is meant to eat on the go, just pop it in your mouth for that yummy burst of sweet peach in a light jelly mold.
Harvest Sweet Potato Biscuits - Retail Value $2.19
I am so surprised by how many biscuits came in this little bag! When you open it up you will see multiple packets of 3 biscuits in one. This will last me a long time! The biscuits themselves are very thin and light with that perfect crumble and crunch. The sweet potato flavors are perfectly sweet with a light sprinkle of sugar on the top of each. I could see this being the perfect snack to enjoy with a warm cup of coffee or tea.
Fue Ramune: Pineapple Flavor - Buy a 20 pack for $23.81
The booklet calls this a whistle candy most likely because you could make a whistle sound from the shape of each candy. The candy itself was super thick and had a delicious pineapple flavor. It was so fruity and fresh, and each piece of hard candy lasted so long! Plus, you get an awesome surprise friend in each packet.
Party Gummy: Hot Dog - Buy 60 pieces for $9.00
I used to buy these gummies from an old-fashioned candy store near my house when I was a little girl. I remember loving the hamburger gummy but was super excited to get this fun hot dog shape. Each bite pretty much is just sugar with some fruity flavors, but overall this candy is more for the fun food designs than anything else!
Pokemon Grape Sparkling - Retail Value $3.00?
Grapes are a great snack to have during the fall and are what flavor this yummy grape soda! Plus, the packaging is all about Pokemon. The soda itself was very flavorful with a delicious sweet grape and so many bubbles.
Bonus Item: Taberundesu-Hi
I received the bonus item this month, yay! The camera is an easy holder to dispense the hard candy inside. All you have to do is click the shutter release button and your candy comes out. The candy are sweet pieces with some hints of fruity flavors that just melt in your mouth.
DIY Magic Foam Jelly - Retail Value $2.59
This little jelly drink was crazy! The first powder packet turned into a crazy blue and purple. Then, when you add and mix the second packet you get a fizzy drink. The flavors were oh so sweet with a ton of sugar. I got some hints of blueberry and maybe watermelon. The drink itself was a lot but it was super fun to make and looks awesome!
Verdict: Japan Crate does such a great job with the Premium boxes in bringing together an overall theme. While I loved many of the snacks this month, it felt a little less curated than the past few boxes I have received. I also found that most of the snacks came in a smaller size which didn't leave much room for sharing or extras. However, Japan Crate is always bringing new and interesting snacks that I have never tried before, and the information booklet always provides so much information that allows me to discover and learn!
To Wrap Up:
Can I still get this box if I sign up today? No, you will receive the December box!
Coupon - Use coupon code MSA3 to save $3 off your first Japan Crate Premium, Doki Doki Crate, Umai Crate, or Kira Kira Crate!
Value Breakdown: This box costs $30 a month (free shipping), and I received a total of 15 snacks in the November box. That breaks down to a value of $2 per item. I normally find Japan Crate to provide such great value in the number of snacks, but I didn't see that same value this month. A lot of the snacks were smaller in size that cost less than a dollar when I was able to find them online to purchase. I would love to see either more snacks or larger sizes of each snack next month to bring that overall value up a bit more.
What did you think of this premium box by Japan Crate?
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