Sakuraco Japanese Snack Box: August 2022 — Okinawa Retreat

In 2019, I was planning a trip to Japan and Korea for April 2020, but obviously my plans were put to a screeching halt because of COVID. So for the last two years, I've just been watching a lot of Japanese vloggers and getting intense wanderlust. More recently, I came upon several videos that were sponsored by a snack subscription box program called Sakuraco and I got intrigued. I used to subscribe to a different snack box program called Japan Crate, which was pretty fun and cute, but all of the snacks were pure junk food — candy, chips, chocolate — and I stopped subscribing after a year because I found myself giving away a lot of it, especially the ones that were aimed for children, like plastic swords filled with gum balls and candy DIY kits. So when I saw one vlogger's video featuring Sakuraco, a premium snack subscription box that was targeted for more mature tastes and featured snacks and teas from different regions of Japan, I decided to check it out. 

Sakuraco "Okinawa Retreat" Japanese Snack Box
Sakuraco "Okinawa Retreat" Japanese Snack Box
Sakuraco isn't cheap. I decided to do a 6-month subscription to start, and each box ends up being about $60 CAD after shipping costs. (I want to note that they do use DHL to ship, but there are no extra taxes or duties upon arrival.) But each box has 20 items, including a tea, traditional sweets, seasonal treats, baked goods, and one home item, all centred around one specific region in Japan. I thought it would be interesting to try some more authentic, regionally-focused snacks from Japan that I wouldn't be able to find here in Canada.

I only subscribed last week so I got my August box on Friday, which means this particular box isn't available anymore (on the 1st of every month, they start shipping out the next month's box, so as of today, Sakuraco is sending out their September box), but I thought I'd still post about it to share what kinds of treats you get in this program. August's theme was "Okinawa Retreat," focusing on Japan's most southern region, Okinawa.

Sakuraco "Okinawa Retreat" greeting postcard featuring The Sacred Spring at Jōgaku by Katsushika Hokusai
Sakuraco "Okinawa Retreat" Snack Guide
Sakuraco "Okinawa Retreat" Snack Guide
Sakuraco "Okinawa Retreat" Snack Guide
Sakuraco "Okinawa Retreat" Snack Guide
This box comes with a beautiful postcard featuring the artwork, The Sacred Spring at Jōgaku from Ryūkyū Hakkei (Eight Views of Ryūkyū) by Katsushika Hokusai. On the back is a message from the founder of Sakuraco about why she chose to feature that particular region of Japan for the month. Every box also contains a "snack guide," which includes an introduction and a brief history of the featured region, and information on the region's signature tea and foods. Of course, the guide also showcases every single item included in the box, with detailed descriptions and allergy warnings. Included in Sakuraco's "Okinawa Retreat" box are:

Left to right: Okinawa Shikuwasa Jelly, Shikuwasa Manju, and Okinawa Sanpin-cha x 2

• Okinawa Shikuwasa Jelly by Marukiyo (Okinawa) — "Shikuwasa, sometimes called Okinawa limes, are famous for their health benefits. Working together with Marukiyo, we've created this refreshingly sour jelly made with shikuwasa grown in Ogimi Village, the capital of longevity."
• Shikuwasa Manju by Marukiyo (Okinawa) — "When shikuwasa are left to fully ripen, their skin turns from deep green to a golden yellow and their tanginess increases. These fruits are called kugani, literally gold. Kugani grown in Ogimi Village are wrapped in rich dough for this manju, perfectly balancing sour and sweet while leaving you refreshed."
• Okinawa Sanpin-cha by Higa Seicha (Okinawa) — "A blend of Chinese and Japanese tea leaves and jasmine flowers has been Okinawa's tea of choice for centuries. Incredibly refreshing both hot or iced, its low caffeine content makes it the perfect tea for any time of day."

Top (left to right): Sata Andagi Brown Sugar Donuts and Okinawa Brown Sugar Kuzumochi
Bottom (left to right): Tannafakuru Brown Sugar Cookies and Okinawa Brown Sugar Bread

• Sata Andagi Brown Sugar Donuts by Nanpudo (Okinawa) — "This traditional dessert for auspicious occasions is an Okinawa favourite. Sata means sugar and andagi stands for deep-fried."
• Okinawa Brown Sugar Kuzumochi by Morihaku Confectionery (Gifu) — "This kuzumochi is packed full of rich Okinawa brown sugar perfect for stress relief."
• Tannafakuru Brown Sugar Cookies by Marukiyo (Okinawa) — "This soft cookie is named after its creator, Tannafa, and the Okinawan word for black, kuru. Rich in Okinawa brown sugar, we recommend it alongside a cup of tea for a moment of peace."
• Okinawa Brown Sugar Bread by Tokyo Bread (Toyama) — "The rich characteristic taste of Okinawa brown sugar meets fluffy and moist dough."

Left to right: Okinawa Cinnamon Cookie, Walnut Cookies, Blueberry Tarts, and Snow Salt Milk Chinsuko

• Okinawa Cinnamon Cookie by Marukiyo (Okinawa) — "[Ogimi] Village is home to many cinnamon trees well over 100 years old. Usually, cinnamon is made from the bark, but in Ogimi, the leaves are used instead as they also possess a high amount of flavour and aroma, protecting the valuable trees."
• Walnut Cookies by Hidano (Nagano) — "These crispy cookies combine fresh walnuts with moist dough, perfectly balancing earthy taste and sweetness."
• Blueberry Tarts by Ito Confectionery (Ibaraki) — "Moist cheesecake dough meets sweet and sour blueberry jam in this mini tart."
• Snow Salt Milk Chinsuko by Nanpudo (Okinawa) — "Japan's favourite sweet Okinawa souvenir, chinsuko cookies, have been around for centuries and were once reserved for royalty. By combining mineral rich snow salt from Miyako Island with creamy milk, this version perfectly balances salty and sweet."

Left to right: Brown Sugar Karinto, Chili Shrimp Arare, Sakura Kanten, and Ichimatsu Chopstocks

• Brown Sugar Karinto by Yamada Confectionery (Aichi) — "Karinto is one of Japan's oldest brown sugar sweets. Honey is added to the sugar, achieving just the right amount of sweet crunchiness."
• Chili Shrimp Arare by Marihaku Confectionery (Gifu) — "Made with spicy chili oil from Okinawa, this rich shrimp arare is perfect for a hot summer."
• Surprise Snack: Sakura Kanten by Izumi Bussan (Tokyo) — "This kanten jelly has a mild cherry blossom fragrance and pairs perfectly with a cup of tea."
• Ichimatsu Chopsticks by Tanaka Hashiten (Fukui) — "The checkerboard pattern is known as ichimatsu in Japanese, its unbroken and endlessness signifies prosperity."

I haven't tried all the snacks from this box yet (it's only been 3 days since I received it and I have to maintain some sort of self-control), but so far, I've thoroughly enjoyed the Brown Sugar Karinto (I had to force myself to put this back in my cupboard after eating like, 10 of them, because I would've eaten the entire bag in one sitting and as I am diabetic, that would've been REALLY BAD), the Sata Andagi Brown Sugar Donut, and the Snow Salt Milk Chinsuko. The donut was especially delicious with the Okinawa Sanpin-cha, which is a beautifully fragrant jasmine blend tea. Oh, and the home item of the month was a pair of (dishwasher-safe!) Ichimatsu chopsticks. Worked out well because I just broke an old pair.

I'm super impressed with the quality, quantity, and variety of this box. The snacks are unique and nothing like I've ever seen here, and definitely for a more matured taste. I find the curation of this set to be far more thoughtful and deliberate than most other snack boxes; this whole program is really built around enjoying regional snacks with regional teas rather than just random Japanese junk foods. And that's exactly what I'm looking for.