Japan Crate September 2016 Subscription Box Review + Coupon

Japan Crate is a monthly subscription box that helps you “experience the excitement of Japan every month through fun candy & snacks”. They offer three subscription levels that start at $12 a month and offer 1, 3, 6, or 12 month plans that auto renew at the end of the term. Japan Crate aims to send candy that is fun and exclusively available in Japan.

This is certainly the prettiest box I receive each month! My box was packed with 15 items for September.

There are 3 different subscription levels available: The Mini box includes 5 items, the Original box includes those items PLUS another 5 items, and the Premium box includes those 10 items PLUS another 5 items. This month I am reviewing the Premium kit but I will be numbering the items so if you are thinking of subscribing to one of the other sizes you will know what is included. Note: Numbers 1-5 are in the Mini, numbers 1-10 are in the Original, and numbers 1-15 are in the Premium.

There was a Manga-zine that had a comic followed by the contents of the box. The cover included references to some of the snacks!

 I love that Japan Crate takes the time to put out a helpful guide to all the products, as well as some info on what is happening in Japan at this time of year.

It’s Japan Crate’s 2 year anniversary and there was a scratch off card that could contain prizes or a discount code to use in the brand new online store! I received a coupon code for 35% off any shop purchase.

Now on to the products. There was an RPG theme this month for the 2 year anniversary and the manga-zine worked a few of the items into this month’s issue. My 13-year-old daughter especially loves this box and “tested” the products with me.

1. Yaokin Black Pepper Potato Chips taste similar to regular old potato chips, perhaps with a bit more sweetness and bite thanks to the addition of red pepper. These chips are made in China.

2. Lucky Corn Puffs look a bit like corn puff balls but are sweet and salty. I didn’t care for the aspartame-like aftertaste but my daughter loved them.

3. Soda Gum is one giant piece of ramune flavored gum that really tastes like the lemonade/7-Up flavored drink! The flavor didn’t stick around too long but it was a fun chew.

4. Kagikko Choco are large Sixlets in the shape of a key in honor of latchkey kids everywhere.

5. Everyone received the Pote USA Loppy Squeaker, which in its stuffed form is an arcade prize in Japan. If your squeaker has a tag on it with a special code (50 are tagged) then you can email Japan Crate to claim a prize! 

6. Moko Moko Mini Washing Machine DIY Candy Kit is a little kit in a box that you assemble and then mix the packet provided with a bit of water and it churns it into a foam that is supposedly “yogurt flavored”. My daughter thought it tasted like ramune flavored toothpaste since it was so foamy. I tried a bit and it was sweet and mouth-puckering sour.

Here’s K putting it to the test for you, our dedicated readers. It’s a hard job but SOMEBODY has to do it!

7. Furuta Everyone Cookie has several individually wrapped bite-sized cookies that remind me of Keebler soft-baked cookies. The middle is a chocolate chip cookie and the outside is matcha-flavored vanilla cookie. I don’t care for matcha but if you do then the flavor is pretty strong and I wouldn’t have thought to pair it with chocolate.

8. Osatsu Do Ki Salt & Butter Flavor Chips are extra-sweet, sweet potato chips. These are sweeter and thicker than the ones I buy at my grocery store but then those ones only have 3 ingredients and this one has many, including sugar. Still, they are very tasty!

9. Mugi Choco Bar is the first of 3 puffed barley (or possibly wheat) snacks this month. This one is covered in a chocolate flavored coating and was pretty good.

10. Pikachu Grape Gum is very soft and tastes just like grape flavored gum, except it has the most famous Pokéman of all on the package!

11. Mugipon Milk Coffee Flavor was the second puffed cereal snack. This one would be great in a bowl with milk, or just pour it in your mouth if you are on the go.

12. Otaya Osampo Watagashi is straight up cotton candy. Sweet and perhaps a bit denser than the one at fairs and the circus. It was gone in a flash.

I think this was my daughter’s favorite item this month!

13. I never even had a chance to try the cola flavored Yaokin Chewing Straws Candy but my daughter assured me that they were delicious. They are supposed to be sour enough to make your mouth pucker. This particular product says that it is made in Thailand. These are some world traveling candies!

14. Takaoka Strawberry Mugi is the third mugi product this month. It has puffed wheat covered with a strawberry white chocolate flavored coating. All of the mugi products this month were unique and interesting to try. 

15. I love to try the different sodas each month and this time around it was Pineapple Mango flavored. This was very sweet and refreshing.

I really look forward to receiving my Japan Crate every month! This was filled with fun, tasty treats that I can’t seem to find at my local Asian superstores. I had a hard time finding these items on Amazon too so the exclusivity is certainly there. My 13-year-old LOVES this box and had fun trying everything as well. We now regularly use words like ramune, dagashi, and kawaii at home. Some of the items offer a different spin on what we have here in the U.S. and some of them are more of an acquired taste.

What item do you want to try from this month’s Japan Crate? Save $5 on your first regular or premium crate with coupon code CANDY5.