Japan Crate is a monthly subscription box that helps you “experience the excitement of Japan every month through fun candy & snacks.” They have 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.
DEAL: Save $3 on your first regular or premium crate with coupon code HELLO.
The box is always super-cute, with little candies flying all over the place. This month’s crate had an adorable holiday motif. My favorite detail is the choice of decorations for the Christmas tree on the booklet — little donuts and umaibo!
There are 3 different subscription levels available: The Mini includes 5 items, the Original includes those items PLUS another 5 items, and the Premium includes those 10 items PLUS another 5 items. This month I am reviewing the Premium box!
There is always a Manga-zine that lists the contents of the box, as well as some fun food and cultural info about Japan, like current festivals underway. The chart of contents lists the snacks for all three box sizes. The tiers are cumulative, so our Premium Box has everything on the page!
We love the packaging!
Everything in the box! Lots of Christmas themed packaging this month!
Cassis and Orange Orangina. This version of the classic carbonated drink contains orange and blackcurrant. It’s sweet, tangy and refreshing!
Sour Cream and Onion Scones. It’s a pack of stick-shaped snacks with Hokkaido sour cream flavor.
Every piece is so crunchy — very similar to crunchy Cheetos, but I think the texture and flavor is actually better on these. It makes for a great snack while watching TV!
Christmas Shimichoco Corn. Next up is a pack of corn puff snacks flavored with chocolate.
These are star-shaped, with a hole in the middle. I like the light and crispy texture, and the chocolate made it extra tasty. The interplay between the frosted exterior and the puffy inside gives these a unique and addictive subtle firmness. The kids really liked this one!
Christmas Caramel Corn. I can’t get enough of this caramel-flavored corn snack with a crisp, puffy texture!
Most are curls, but there were a few Christmas trees mixed in. The caramel coating is sweet, but not overwhelming.
Christmas Corn Potage Umaibo. One bite of the corn puff snack and you will see why Corn Potage is such a popular flavor in Japan.
This puffy corn snack has the savory taste of real corn soup. Meanwhile, the cylindrical shape makes it perfect for on-the-go snacking!
Christmas Umaibo. Another Umaibo, but this time it’s coated with yummy chocolate!
The combination of chocolate and crispy corn is just perfect. It’s light and airy at the center, something you would like if you’re a fan of wafer snacks!
Christmas Fugashi. Next is a traditional Japanese dagashi snack that is made from gluten.
It is perfectly light and air but soaked in a luscious coat of brown sugar.
It’s kind of sweet because of the sugar coating and also a little crunchy. The center wilts a bit as it gets wet. The combo reminds me of a crème brulée topping around candy floss (cotton candy).
Minions Furi Furi Shake. This do-it-yourself milkshake in banana flavor was a hit with the kids!
The packaging is in Japanese but the instructions are easy to understand because of the illustrations.
Each pack contains a small tumbler, a straw and the milkshake powder. You just have to put the milk and the powder in the container, add ice, and then shake. By the way, furi furi is a Japanese word that means “to shake.”
We gave it a try and my son loved the sweetness of the milkshake!
He likes the cute design of the tumbler too! As you can tell from his chin, he may have sampled some other snacks, too!
Constellation Chocolate. These delicious, chocolate-covered crackers each have their own zodiac symbol.
The zodiac symbol I got is Virgo. It is engraved on the biscuit along with Japanese characters.
The design was fun and the taste didn’t disappoint either. However, only one side is covered. This actually helps make it neater to eat.
Butter Cream Roll Cake. This roll cake tastes really good and the cream at the center is what made it really special. It is very custard-like, and it pairs perfectly with the light cake.
This doesn’t look nice in the photo because some parts of the roll’s outer coating got stuck in the wrapper. It still tasted good, though. And its great with coffee!
Christmas Chocolate Daifuku. This one’s soft and white like a mochi and it has a super sweet chocolate filling.
It’s so fluffy!
The filling is rich and paste-like.
Awadama Red. This is an interesting Japanese candy! It’s a small ball of fizzy soda candy made up of sugar, corn syrup, grape juice, bicarbonate and vitamin C.
Instead of a pocket of fizz in the middle, the fizz is mixed all throughout the hard candy ball. The taste is refreshing, and we all know that anything fizzy is a win for kids!
Tasty Ice Cream Mini Bake Kit Kat. This Kit Kat variant is available only in some stores in Japan, and the most interesting thing about it is that it can be baked!
It has a creamy vanilla flavor and the crunchy biscuit texture is just awesome.
Look at that creamy perfection! I wish we got more of this! Exotic KitKat varieties are definitely one of our favorite things to see.
Christmas Fue Ramune. This Japanese candy is shaped like a Polo mint candy and flavored with ramune.
Each candy has a small hole in the center which enables you to whistle through it.
Christmas Black Thunder. It’s one of the most popular chocolate bars in Japan, and I’m so glad we got to try it this month!
It’s coated with milk chocolate…
…and inside is a dark slab of biscuit and cookie bits. The black cookie is what makes this treat unique — it has a deep flavor that is much more earthy than ordinary dark chocolate. It is a bit like an OREO, but it has an ashy quality you wouldn’t expect. It’s a little bizarre, but it’s a rich and filling treat!
This subscription is a great way to experience snacking the Japanese way! I love receiving treats with unique flavors, and Japan Crate never fails to wow me with that every month. I love most of the treats in this particular box, and It was really fun to see the original Japanese Christmas packaging. What stood out the most for me is the ice cream flavored Kit Kat because of its rarity and delicious taste. Can’t wait for my next box to come!
What item do you want to try from this month’s Japan Crate? Let me know in the comments!
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