TokyoTreat is a monthly subscription service filled with candy and other tasty snacks from Japan. Savory, sweet, salty—all the flavors you wish given to you with authentic products you would find in a convenience store in Japan.
TokyoTreat offers two sizes: the Classic box for $22.50 a month and includes 9 snacks, or the Premium box for $31.50 and includes 13 snacks. More information about the snacks included can be found here.
This review is of the Classic, $22.50 a month, box.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About TokyoTreat
The Subscription Box: TokyoTreat
The Cost: $22.50 + free shipping (save with longer commitments)
The Products: Each box has a hand-picked collection of Japanese candies, DIY kits, traditional Dagashi snack, and savory snacks and drinks for you to enjoy.
Ships to: US and Worldwide
TokyoTreat Classic February 2019 "Sweet Valentine" Review
It’s that time of the month for hearts and chocolates! Each TokyoTreat box comes with a booklet around a monthly theme that includes information about products, some Japanese culture fun facts, and mini contests!
Here’s the ‘menu,’ or list of snack items plus an interesting fact about them you’re about to try. There’s also a fun game, this time a message for your secret admirer!
There’s a page for the DIY candy kit instructions (they’re simple to follow the pictures on the package in case you lose the booklet, so don’t worry!)
Another feature of the booklet helps us ‘discover Japan’ with a tidbit of information of the theme, as well as some easy Japanese phrases to learn. This month gives us a history tidbit of chocolate in Japan.
To our love-filled snacks!
Cat Paw Marshmallows – Retail Value $1.40
Aww... these marshmallows are the cutest ever! They're squishy and very light, with a light vanilla taste, and perfect to top your hot chocolate with. (It is still so cold here, so yes I can drink hot chocolate in February 😉)
Super Heart Chiple – Retail Value $0.62
I was surprised to learn these were a flavored senbei-- usually, senbei tends to be a bit thick, but these were very thin! They are heart-shaped, perfect for this month's theme, and have a strong garlic flavor. There's also a spicy kick to the chips, but it's more of a sweet spicy rather than a chili/firey hot (and it's minor).
Calbee Vegetable Salad Heart Chips – Retail Value $1.37
Time for this month's share pack~ These are the upgraded adorable version of regular veggie straws. The chips are almost weaved (??) into a heart shape, which is so cute! I assume the flavors are spinach (green), tomato (red), and potato (yellow). There's not much of a distinct vegetable flavor, they all taste like potato, but there's also a nice ranch dressing-like flavor powder coating. I love ranch, so I was all in for these 🙂
Shin-Chan Chocolate Stars – Retail Value $0.76
I was a little confused with this candy at first. They looked so much like the vitamins my mom always gave me when I was little (the ones chock full of vitamins and taste very chalky + sour). These are actually ramune (soda) candy with a touch of chocolate flavoring, that contain Vitamin D (so I guess, 1/2 vitamins?) I wasn't a huge fan of these for their weird, almost sour flavor?? But, it’s definitely a better candy alternative for kids!
Glico Strawberry Biscuits – Retail Value $0.67
Already points for the lovely metallic pink packaging! These mini sandwich cookies are filled with a light strawberry cream. The cream is the classic artificial Pocky strawberry flavor, but very tasty nonetheless. The biscuit parts aren't too buttery and are like Rich Tea biscuits.
Fun fact! These biscuits are made for little kids, as seen with the baby on the packaging. But honestly, I don't think the cream filling is the *healthiest* option for babies to eat :/
Pokemon Chocolate Puffs – Retail Value $1.45
These small Pikachu shaped corn puffs are coated in a chocolate sugar and syrup mixture that tastes so chocolately and wonderful. I loved the crumbly texture of the sugar coating, as well as the real, melty chocolate portion of the syrup. The corn puff texture was crunchy, airy, and light, perfect and not too heavy. I devoured these in a second!! They were so, so good.
This snack is called a gashapon (ガシャポン), which are small stickers or toys included in small snacks. I received a tiny sticker with Gaogaen on it (which went directly on my friend's phone case, who’s a huge fan of Pokémon) I like this idea of including a little souvenir in a snack, I think it appeals a lot to younger ages, so it's a perfect snack!
Chocolate Kinako Mochi DIY Kit – Retail Value $1.38
This month's DIY kit was a little different than the previous ones. It was for making rice cake (instead of the regular gummies or candy)!
The kit provides a chocolate sauce packet and a kinako powder packet. Kinako is roasted soybean powder, similar to a very strong, earthy taste of matcha. It's a common topping in Asian desserts such as shaved ice... or rice cake! Korea makes the best kinako covered rice cake (it's the best combination, ever!)
These hardened mochi circles were brought to life with a few drops of water (they were quite sticky though). Chocolate and kinako are a lovely pair of flavors, so I happily dunked my rice cake into the sauce, then coated it in the powder. This DIY kit was so clever and so delicious!
Umaibo Chocolate Flavor – Retail Value $0.39
Ah, the classic umaibo! An umaibo is a light puffed corn snack in a cylindrical shape, with an iconic hole running down the middle. Usually, it's flavored with a sweet or savory syrup + powder coating, but for Valentine's Day, we have a chocolate covered edition. Nothing to complain about for a milk chocolate covered snack 😊 (except it went away too quickly!)
Kimchi Rice Puffs – Retail Value $0.49
In the winter time, around November or December, Korean families set aside a weekend for gimjang (김장), a traditional process of preparing spicy fermented cabbage, or kimchi! Kimchi is one of the best side dishes-- at times, I can have a wonderful dinner just with a steaming bowl of freshly cooked rice and ripe kimchi! These rice puffs are a beautiful snack version of kimchi, using the gochujang (red pepper paste) flavor to bring a nice kick of spice, but with a tiny touch of sweetness.
Verdict: I liked how the Valentine’s theme was subtle for this month’s TokyoTreat. Not too much chocolate or heart-themed items—that mochi kit, was so fun to do and it was such a smart idea! The kimchi flavored rice puffs were delicious, and the adorable cat paw marshmallows are stored in a jar until the next hot chocolate. This month was a win for everything (except the weird vitamins)!
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes, you have until the last day of the month!
Value Breakdown: For $22.50 + free shipping, you’re receiving 9 products, so you’re paying around $2.50 for each share pack or snack bag. I calculated a retail value of $8.56, which is less than half of the original price, so I really hope TokyoTreat adds a bit more in the future months!
Check out all of our TokyoTreat reviews and the Food Subscription Box Directory!
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How was your February TokyoTreat? Did you enjoy a lot of chocolate?
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