Japan Crate is a snack subscription box that sends out snacks and candies from Japan. In addition to the Premium Box, Japan Crate also offers a Mini Box, along with Doki Doki, Kira Kira, and Umai Crate.
This is a review of the Japan Crate Premium Box, which is $35 a month.
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.)
About Japan Crate Premium
The Subscription Box: Premium Box by Japan Crate
The Cost: $35 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
Japan Crate Premium Box July 2018 Review
Here's the booklet for this box. The theme according to the spoilers we've gotten for the box is Festival Foods!
Coconut Pie
This is a big snack to get in a box! There are six two-pie packages inside this box or a total of 12 pies to enjoy. In this case, "pie" means a smear of white-chocolate-like coconut frosting on top of a cracker-shaped layer of super buttery pie pastry. It's flaky to the point of being a bit messy, but it's very sweet and tasty. Half of one of these business-card-sized snacks was enough to satisfy my sweet tooth.
Goldfish Candy
I love how the wrappers for these candies look like goldfish with big flourishing tails. The hard candies inside are flavored like pineapple and grape. They have fizzy candy centers that give the candy a fun finish, too.
Mario Wii Gum
Mario even has his own gum? What can't this plumber do?! Gum isn't my favorite already, but this orange gum struck me as a little lackluster.
Frozen Strawberry Cheesecake Kit Kat
Whoa, now this is a Kit Kat flavor that I've never heard of before. I liked it a lot! It has a little more dimension than the strawberry Kit Kats I've tried in the past. They recommend freezing them to get the full frozen-treat effect.
Shonen Jump Georgia Emerald Coffee
Naruto-themed coffee? Sure! I was expecting this to be black coffee, but it's lightly sweetened and even a bit creamy.
Atekko Variety DIY Raffle Game
This is a cute nod to the festival theme! I'm not sure how the raffle part really plays out, but otherwise, the kit features six different types of candies, including two types of chewy fruity candies and several sizes of hard-shelled sugary fruit candies.
Watermelon Chocolate Chip Cookie
Oooo, I'm not into these, haha! These pink cookies combine watermelon fruitiness (and color) with relatively mild chocolate chips. I got a whole BOX of these cookies (which come in individually wrapped packs of five inside the box), and I don't think I'm going to touch them all. I love chocolate chip cookies, but I wish these crispy cookies were a liiiiittle less out of the ordinary.
Tanabata Koala March
Now, these cookies are classics. I love these cream-filled koalas. These ones feature zodiac-inspired designs, which nods to the July 7 Tanabata festival. These light, crisp cookies are really yummy. They might be my favorite item in the box!
Cider Jellyball
Eeeep, this is not my favorite kind of candy at. ALL. I'm not big on gummies or jelly candies, and this one is very jellyish. It's also flavored like fruity soda, which I don't really love. I could see it being a lot of fun for a kiddo—it's bright and unconventional and kooky!
Forgotten Anko Dorayaki
The "forgotten" part of these mildly maple-y soft pancakes is the red bean filling that is traditionally served with them. The pancakes themselves are SUPER soft and cushy, a little sweet, but not terribly filling. They're very convenience-store-ish, quality-wise.
Koikeya Pride Potato Tempura Sea Salt Chips
Apparently, these light and crispy potato chips are seasoned with sea salt made with matcha. I can't really taste much of a difference, but these sure are yummy! Who doesn't love potato chips?
Ramune Bottle Gummy
Again, I'm not a big gummy fan, so I wasn't thrilled with this blue gummy soda bottle. It has a fruity soda flavor and a very soft texture that's a little juicy.
King's Lost Crown
I really liked the first bite or two of this crispy chocolate and vanilla cookie, and I love anything filled with chocolate fudge. But this snack had a weird, kind of bitter, chemical-ish aftertaste that I didn't enjoy.
Shrimp Mayo Umaibo
Crunchy, salty umaibo sticks are usually pretty yummy, but this one is just a bit too fishy for me. It's modeled after a traditional Japanese appetizer that involves shrimp topped with mayo.
The Verdict: This box had a wide variety of snacks, from savory to sweet. I was impressed that they included several full-size packages of snacks (like the cookies and coconut pies) in addition to a bunch of individual or snack-size versions. The festival theme was cute, too. To really love this box, you'll want to be either 1) a big fan of Japanese culture or 2) a big fan of super unconventional snacks. The flavors range from somewhat familiar to totally out of the ordinary, so the less picky your palate, the better!
To Wrap Up:
Can I still get this box if I sign up today? No, order by 7/31 to receive the August box, From Japan Crate:
Crates are shipped on a rolling schedule with three schedule shipment dates every month.
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 $35.00 a month (including free shipping), and I received a total of 15 snacks in this box. That breaks down to a value of $2.33 per item.
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