Kawaii Box is a monthly subscription service that sends you cute items from Japan and Korea. Each box includes 10-12 original and licensed kawaii items.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About Kawaii Box
The Subscription Box: Kawaii Box
The Cost: $19.90/mo + free shipping. Save with 3, 6, and 12-month prepaid subscriptions.
The Products: 10-12 kawaii items from Japan and Korea
Ships to: Everywhere with free shipping!
Kawaii Box “Travel with Sumikko Gurashi” 2018 Review
This box always includes a little booklet detailing the items and also reveals the theme for the month. This booklet is designed differently than in months past – it looks really nice! This month’s box theme is “Travel With Sumikko Gurashi!” Sumikko Gurashi is a San-X group of characters, and the phrase means “life in the corner.” They’re an interesting bunch, and I’m actually taking a few trips next year, so let’s see if these goodies will keep me happy on my trails, eh?
Sumikko Gurashi Travel Badge
While it’s cute, I’m not sure I would actually call this a badge - it’s really just a button! However, it certainly fits with the Sumikko Gurashi theme. I received the character Shirokuma, and he’s looking so dapper in front of the Eiffel Tower.
Inu and Neko Sticky Notes
I’m obsessed with the adorable striped cat sticky notes I received this month! While mine doesn’t depict Neko, the calico cat of Sumikko Gurashi, I imagine this one must be a close friend - and sure seems to love fish! These notes will be a great touch to leave notes for my colleagues at work - they love cats as much as I do.
Sparkly Deco Tape Set
I am such a sucker for things that have been miniaturized! This tape set is so cool, and is very sparkly! My favorite thing about these is that the copious amount of glitter appears to not be transferable; I rubbed each spool pretty hard, and no glitter came off on my hands, which I’m sure my husband will appreciate (he’s a staunch glitter-hater). I can’t wait to use these on presents for my friends!
Happy Nikukyu Gummies
Oh, dear readers. I love so many items in this box, and I’ve loved many of the candies in this subscription - there are some I still dream about! These gummies will not be on the list of ones that I love. While the package is really clever, and the shape and color of the gummies are amazing, the “soda” flavoring of them is not my jam! It’s bitter to me and has an underlying flavor of licorice, which I just can’t stomach. I will definitely share with friends!
Unicorn Pen with Light
Um, I might be dead. Cause of death: cuteness. I’ve mentioned before that I absolutely love unicorns, and I’m happy to report that this is the first of three unicorn items in this box! The pens from this subscription typically have the same tip and ink, which I really like, because they’re always a professional color (this one is blue), and have an extremely fine line for writing. And look at that light! This would be great for jotting bedside notes - the small bit of illumination would provide enough light to not wake fellow travelers.
Unicorn Washi Tape
I’ve come to love washi tape! It’s really useful for presents, decorating more plain stationery items, and even for labeling items in the fridge! I love the sweet pink unicorns that adorn this tape, and the slightly translucent quality means that I’ll have lots of options to decorate creatively.
Sweet Unicorn Gel Pen
Brightest color ever, Batman! I love this neon-yellow color of the second unicorn pen in this box; it’s so bright it’d be perfect to drop into a big purse and find again easily. Again, it’s a great fine line color, and this pen is black, so it’s still keeping me on the professional side while still being utterly adorable.
Sumikko Gurashi Plushie
What a little cutie! This small stuffy is really well-made; the details are high quality, all the seams are finished, and there are a few of those plastic beads stuffed in the very bottom of the piece so that it can stand up by itself. I also love the little “coat,” which comes completely off!
Gudetama Stickers
I love the different types of stickers I receive in these boxes! It always surprises me how many different ways they can be designed, and even packaged. I’m a big fan of Gudetama, and I love the different positions are displayed here. I normally send stickers to my centenarian aunt, but I’m not sure she’ll completely understand a sentient egg yolk, so I might save these for other friends and family!
San-X Characters Notepad
Hooray for this nicely-sized notepad! Notepads are pretty common in this box, but it’s rare that the pages are this big. The multiple designs on the pages are a great touch, and the plastic cover and sticker sheet are nice added-value touches. I also love that white iridescent strip that decorates the binding!
Verdict: I really enjoyed the items in this box, mostly due to my love of office supplies, and I can kinda see how the theme shines through! I think the key here is that many of the items were teeny tiny, and could be taken on the road with relative ease. The lighted pen and notepad were certainly journey-worthy items to keep ideas close at hand when being around others, and the extremely small size of the deco tape and plushie also make them conducive to travel. The pens were the true stand-out items to me; my love of unicorns really put them over the edge as far as flavor goes, but it was a great mix of Sumikko Gurashi characters overall!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No. You will always receive the following month’s box of the month you subscribe in. Order by the end of December to receive January’s box.
Value Breakdown: At $19.90 for this box, you are paying approximately $1.99 per item.
Check out all of our Kawaii Box reviews and the Kawaii Subscription Box Directory!
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What is your favorite items from Kawaii Box this month?
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