Japan Crate is a Japanese snack subscription box that sends you snacks, candies, and beverages. Each box comes with 15 to 20 full-sized sweets and snacks that are tricky or impossible to find outside Japan.
This review is for the Japan Crate Premium Box, which costs $49.95 monthly.
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.)
First Impressions
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It's been a while since my last review of Japan Crate, but I finally received another box this month. Long story short, a union between Bokksu and Japan Crate took place several months ago causing a major delay in receiving future boxes due to issues with logistics. And while that issue is finally being sorted out, another issue occurred for the box I received this month. Apparently, someone made an error when finalizing my shipping address as it was supposed to be delivered to Florida, but was instead sent to Australia first. So, for January I got to review the Halloween Crate II box that was shipped out back in November. Nonetheless, I was still excited to try out another box of Japanese candy and treats!
What's Inside: Japan Crate January 2024 Box
This month's box focused a lot on chocolate and grape-flavored treats as well as gum. Let's take a closer look at what I got to try!
Shimichoco Chocolate Corn Snack
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This was one of my favorite treats in the Halloween-themed box! It was basically a chocolate-flavored, corn puff-like snack. It had the consistency and taste of a breakfast cereal as it wasn't overly crunchy or too sweet. I went through the bag pretty quickly and would definitely repeat this item.
Super Scary Story Gum
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I wish I could read Japanese, but unfortunately, I don't have any knowledge of the language. So, I skipped the story and went straight to the gum. The gum wasn't terrible, but it didn't last very long. It had a fruity flavor and a bit of a thin texture. I'd definitely pass on this candy in future boxes.
Black Moon Choco Cookies
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This treat was another hit in this month's box! I paired the cookies with my morning coffee and they were absolutely delicious. They had a similar taste and texture to that of vanilla wafers, but imagine a chocolate version instead that melts in your mouth more easily. I would happily repeat this treat anytime.
Strong Spicy Cod Roe Potato Chips
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Normally, the seafood-flavored chips featured in Japan Crate boxes can be a bit too much. These chips, however, were a pleasant surprise. The cod roe flavor wasn't overbearing and they honestly tasted like normal potato chips that were slightly spicy. I wouldn't want to repeat these chips in every box, but they were fun to try and I wouldn't mind snacking on them every now and then.
Mugikko Chocolates
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I wasn't impressed with this treat. While I love pretty much anything chocolate, I didn't like the texture. It looked like it would be slightly crunchy, but the chocolate-covered wheat puffs had an odd texture that almost made them taste like they were stale.
Kajiriccho Grape Soda Soft Candy
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This was a fun piece of candy to try. I'm usually not a huge fan of grape-flavored candy, but this was the perfect mix of sweet and sour and had a soft and chewy texture.
Mini Vita C Gummies
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I thought this candy was a bit random for a Halloween-themed box, but the gummies were good. They were a bit small but had a great citrus flavor and a thin film of edible starch on the back.
Grape Whistle Gum
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This gum had a better consistency than some of the other types of gum featured in this box, but it was just average overall. However, I did like its flavor profile a bit more than other pieces since it was a mix of sour and sweet.
Felix Gum
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This was basically just a piece of sweet strawberry gum. Not bad, but not out of this world either.
Sour Spray (Grape)
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My inner child was so happy to see this candy featured in the Halloween box. This was totally the type of treat I loved as a kid growing up in the 90's and appreciated its nostalgic feel. The only feature I found slightly disappointing was that it wasn't very sour, but the flavor was still quite good.
Grape Bubble Gum
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Why yes, another piece of gum. This gum, however, was the best of all among the different types featured in this box. It lasted the longest and also had the best flavor.
Crunky Big Chocolate
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I loved this treat! These chocolate-covered rice puff bites had the perfect crunchy texture and I would repeat this item anytime in the future. If they were sold at my local grocery store I'd probably be addicted to them.
Grape Roll Candy
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This was like a thin grape-flavored Fruit Roll-Up. The taste wasn't bad, but I didn't like the texture very much.
Zon B Original Gum
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I'm a huge fan of blueberry-flavored treats so I was excited to try this gum out. It had a good bit of flavor to it and the gum lasted longer than some of the other pieces.
My Cos Candy Cigarette
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Holy menthol!!! At first, I was pumped to try out this gum as it reminded me of the candy cigarettes I tried as a child. Unfortunately, the menthol flavor was so strong that I took the gum out within a matter of seconds.
Ginza Rusk Chocolate
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Another chocolaty puff treat in this month's box. While I liked the chocolate flavor, the texture was a bit strange as this treat is made from corn grits and bread crumbs, so it's not as smooth or crunchy as rice puffs.
Choco Kinako DIY Mochi
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Does anyone else love making these DIY treats? All I had to do was add water to the mochi to soften them and then dip them in the chocolate and kinako mix. They tasted like mini smores and were fun to try out.
Yokai Keychain
The final item in this month's box was a cute keychain. I probably won't carry this around but I'm sure my toddler will eventually want to play with it.
The Verdict
I loved some of the treats in the Halloween-themed box, specifically the Shimichoco Chocolate Corn Snack, Black Moon Choco Cookies, and Crunky Big Chocolate. While I had fun trying out some of the smaller candies and gum too, I was a bit let down by the box as a whole. I would have preferred for there to be more spooky treats, but hopefully next time they'll niche down a bit more..and hopefully, future boxes won't have to travel around the world prior to arriving at my doorstep ;).
To Wrap Up
Value Breakdown: This box costs $49.95 monthly (including free shipping), and I received 17 items. That breaks down to a value of $2.94 per item.
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