A number of subscription-style snack boxes have cropped up in recent years, offering people a taste of Japan from the comfort of their own home. These services often involve delivering a monthly box of Japanese snacks and other goodies to subscribers worldwide. I was recently given the opportunity to try a box from Sakuraco, a Japan-based company that works with local family-owned businesses to curate their monthly snack selection.
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Disclosure: This is a sponsored post and may contain affiliate links. All opinions are purely my own.
Sakuraco’s November 2024 Box: Heart of Ishikawa
Each Sakuraco box offers 20 goodies, including ceramics and chopsticks, from local makers in Japan. The latest amazing regional snack box was made in collaboration with Ishikawa Prefecture in central Japan. The prefecture’s Noto Peninsula was hit by a major earthquake on New Year’s Day and further hammered by heavy rains last month. Proceeds from the sale of every box supports recovery efforts in Noto, where many artisans and businesses have lost their livelihood.
Aesthetic
Pulling open the packaging, I was immediately wowed by the elegant design of the box, befitting of an area famed for its chaya, or teahouses where geisha entertained wealthy nobles and merchants. The sleek black exterior contrasted to the strong red of the inside in a very Japanese color combination. I plan to keep the box to store various knickknacks after finishing the snacks.
Snacks
The box featured a good range of traditional Japanese snacks representative of Ishikawa Prefecture. Living in Japan, I have no shortage of convenience store snacks, but it is always a treat to taste omiyage from other regions. The local snacks included in the Sakuraco box, usually found only in Ishikawa Prefecture, would delight even a Japanese person.
There were cakes, senbei crackers, otsumami (drinking) snacks, jelly, tea pouches, candy and more. Basically something for every type of taste. Japanese sweets tend to have more subtle flavours than Western ones, with red bean and soybean flour common ingredients.
Meanwhile, otsumami tend to be rather salty as they usually are paired with alcohol. The Beaver crackers, a much-loved snack in the Hokuriku region, included were no exception. Having said that, the taste was not overpowering and could be enjoyed without beer or the like.
My personal favourites were the houji-cha kinako (roasted green tea and soybean powder) mochi and yuzu senbei (citrus crackers), with the latter a rather unusual combination.
Non-edibles
In addition to a postcard and booklet about Ishikawa Prefecture, the traditional non-edible item included in this box was a pair of red chopsticks. It is a nice addition as after consuming all the snacks, there remains something very useful.
Overall rating
| Aesthetic | ★★★★★ |
| Snacks | ★★★★☆ |
| Non-edibles | ★★★★☆ |
| Concept | ★★★★★ |
| Overall | ★★★★☆ |
I really like the concept of promoting and supporting local businesses, particularly in lesser known regions in Japan. The design of the box is elegantly minimalistic — one of my favourite aesthetics. There was a good range of snacks, although they tend to be more sweet-oriented than savory.
For those living overseas who miss Japanese snacks or want to experience some authentic Japanese culture, this box will hit the spot.
Try the Sakuraco box
You can try the Sakuraco box for yourself here. While subscriptions can be made monthly, you get discounts and some freebies if you subscribe in three month, six month, or 12 month blocks.
For something more contemporary or appealing to kids, there is also a Tokyo Treat box. This box offers premium Japanese snacks and candies, included ones limited to Japan or various regions.