Sakuraco Japanese Snack Box: October 2022 — Ibaraki Harvest

My October Sakuraco box has arrived! 

Sakuraco is a monthly premium Japanese snack box subscription program. It's not a cheap subscription, so I decided to do six months to start, which ends up being approximately $60 CAD per box after shipping costs. (I want to note that they do use DHL to ship, so there may be extra taxes and/or duties upon arrival.) Each box includes 20 items — including a tea, traditional sweets, seasonal treats, baked goods, and one home item — all centred around one specific region in Japan. Sakuraco just changed their shipping schedule starting in September, so going forward, all monthly boxes will be available from the 15th of every month to the 15th of the next month. 

Sakuraco "Ibaraki Harvest" Japanese Snack Box
October's theme is "Ibaraki Harvest," focusing on Ibaraki Prefecture, which is located on Japan's eastern Pacific coast to the northeast of Tokyo, and is among the prefectures with the highest agricultural production in Japan.

Sakuraco "Ibaraki Harvest" greeting postcard featuring Beauties Harvesting Bracken by Ōgata Gekkō
Sakuraco "Ibaraki Harvest" Snack Guide
Sakuraco "Ibaraki Harvest" Snack Guide
Sakuraco "Ibaraki Harvest" Snack Guide
Sakuraco "Ibaraki Harvest" Snack Guide
This month's box comes with a beautiful postcard featuring the artwork, Beauties Harvesting Bracken from the series Gekkō's Miscellaney by Ōgata Gekkō. 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 my "Ibaraki Harvest" box are the following items:

Left to right: Ibaraki Chestnut Karinto, Ibaraki Sencha with Matcha x 2, Ibaraki Melon Jelly, and Parinto Natto Snack

• Ibaraki Chestnut Karinto by CorCarino (Ibaraki) — "Ibaraki Prefecture boasts the largest production of chestnuts in the country, making them a popular souvenir. We partnered up with CorCarino to bring you this exclusive chestnut flavour karinto. Just the right mix of crunchy and sweet, it perfectly compliments a cup of tea."
• Ibaraki Sencha with Matcha by Nemotoen (Ibaraki) — "Blending the fullness of matcha powder with the bright and vegetal taste of sencha makes this tea a special treat that moves across the palate."
• Ibaraki Melon Jelly by Kyoto Takara Confectionery (Shiga) — "Made with melon juice from Ibaraki, this refreshingly sweet melon jelly is perfect for those hotter autumn days. Pairs well with cakes and a cup of tea."
• Parinto Natto Snack by Kanasaga Shokuhin (Ibaraki) — "A specialty of Mito, natto fermented soybeans are a love or hate food, even for Japanese people. This snack-style natto is perfect for a first taste, as it has been fried to get rid of the stickiness and reduce the characteristic strong smell."

Left to right: Beniharuka Sweet Potato Cookie, Ibaraki Puffed Rice Carrot, Masakado Senbei x 2, and Ibaraki Blueberry Manju

• Beniharuka Sweet Potato Cookie by Kamejirushi (Ibaraki) — "Sweet potatoes are yet another famous product of Ibaraki. This adorable cookie resembles the very Beniharuka sweet potato it is made of."
• Ibaraki Puffed Rice Carrot by Takami Seika (Ibaraki) — "While carrots are another crop frequently grown in Ibaraki, this puffed rice treat is merely playing with the shape for its packaging. Created in Ibaraki over 50 years ago, it always gets a reaction for the nostalgia it evokes."
• Masakado Senbei by Masakado Senbei Honpo (Ibaraki) — "Named after famous 10th century samurai, Taira No Masakado, who to this day is revered as a symbol of strength and resistance, this senbei is made with locally sourced Ibaraki rice and soy sauce."
• Ibaraki Blueberry Manju by Kamejirushi (Ibaraki) — "Packed full of flavour, this manju blends white bean paste with blueberries and blueberry juice from Ibaraki's Omitama City."

Left to right: Konbu Arare, Strawberry Tart x 2, and Beniazuma Sweet Potato Cake

• Konbu Arare by Maruyone Confectionery (Toyama) — "Konbu, or edible kelp, is a staple of Japanese cuisine as it is used to make dashi broth. Rich in nutrients and with no other seasoning than salt used, this arare is a truly healthy snack."
• Strawberry Tart by Ito Confectionery (Ibaraki) — "Full of juicy Ibaraki strawberry jam, this mini tart is the perfect mix of sweet and sour."
• Beniazuma Sweet Potato Cake by Nagata Foods (Ibaraki) — "Ibaraki-grown Beniazuma are one of the sweetest and least fibrous sweet potatoes there is. Mixed with white bean paste and a dash of brandy before baking, the sweetness is just right."

Left to right: Issa Tsuzumi Manju, White Peach Cookie x 2, White Shrimp Arare x 2, and Bamboo Chopsticks

• Issa Tsuzumi Manju by Laman (Aichi) — "A classic manju filled with bean paste. With its moist dough and mildly sweet filling, it always goes down well."
• White Peach Cookie by Hidano (Nagano) — "A cookie filled with sweet white peaches grown in Okayama Prefecture. Full of aroma and ideal with a hot cup of tea."
• White Shrimp Arare by Maruyone Confectionery (Toyama) — "Shiroebi, or white shrimp, are pale pink-coloured shrimp lauded as 'Jewels' of Toyama Prefecture. Combined with locally sourced glutinous rice, this arare is a treat for any seafood lover."
• Surprise Tableware — "Ibaraki produces an astounding number of products, with each city offering a local surprise. We're embracing that spirit this month by including a surprise tableware item."

Left to right: Hokkaido Genmaicha, Yuzu Dorayaki, and Tanba Black Bean Arare

So remember how I got short-shipped four snacks from last month's box? I emailed Sakuraco's customer service to let them know about it, and they ended up shipping me three extra items with this month's box — one tea from their June Hokkaido box, and two snacks from last month's Kyoto box (including one that had been missing) — and then shipped it with early priority. Three items doesn't make up for four (especially with one item being from a box four months ago), but I will say that their customer service department is very nice, prompt, and efficient. They were also very apologetic, which I appreciate. 

• Hokkaido Genmaicha by Hagiri (Shizuoka) — "Pairing green tea with roasted brown rice from Hokkaido, this tea has a warm, nutty flavour. Pairing well with any kind of sweets or snacks, this blend is easy to drink and refreshing."
• Yuzu Dorayaki by Suzuya Ginkakuji (Kyoto) — "Highly particular about sourcing only the finest ingredients, Kyoto-based Suzuya are focusing only on the highest quality doriyaki. Combining pastry made with Mie Prefecture-grown wheat with refreshing yuzu grown in Ehime Prefecture, they certainly succeeded with this one."
• Tanba Black Bean Arare by Morihaku Confectionery (Gifu) — "Tanba black soybeans are a specialty grown in the Kyoto area. They are a popular ingredient for traditional Japanese desserts. Discover them with this crunchy arare."

But moving on to this month, I am actually impressed with the variety here (with the correct amount of items, I might add). I'm most interested to try that natto snack because apparently natto has such a polarizing flavour and I've never tried it before. Will I love it or will I hate it? WE WILL FIND OUT. I'm also excited to try the chestnut karinto, the konbu arare, the sweet potato cake, and the both of the manju. I cheated and already tried the tea — it mixes matcha with sencha, which should make it quite bitter, but it was surprisingly refreshing and aromatic with a hint of natural sweetness. Definitely my favourite one so far. Oh, and hey, I got another pair of chopsticks, which I actually really wanted because I'm trying to replace all my old ones. There's a whole slew of surprise tableware for this month's box, and though the value for chopsticks is lower than say, a teacup or plate, the chopsticks are actually the most useful for me so it worked out well.