My November 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 Japanese region or theme. 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.
Instead of focusing on a specific region of Japan this month, November's theme is "Colors of Koyo." Koyo refers to the changing colours of the leaves every fall and the tradition of appreciating this autumn foliage. People across Japan "take pilgrimages into nature, eager to experience the crisp air and landscapes transformed with hues of amber and crimson," and this tradition dates as far back as the 8th century.
This month's box comes with a postcard featuring the artwork, Scene of Maple Leaves at Waterfall River in Ôji from the series Edo meisho no uchi by Utagawa Hiroshige. On the back is a message from the founder of Sakuraco about why she chose to feature this particular theme this month. Every box also contains a "snack guide," which includes an introduction and a brief history of a particular maker and prefecture, as well as information on the the month's selected tea and snacks. Of course, the guide also showcases every single item included in the box, with detailed descriptions and allergy warnings. Included in my "Colors of Koyo" box are the following items:
- Momiji Cookie by Seki Confectionery (Kyoto) — "Momiji or Japanese maple leaves, are a staple in Japanese autumn scenery. These maple leaf cookies have been carefully baked by craftsmen with a light, palatable flavour and crisp texture."
- Cream-Filled Momiji Manju by Kyoto Takara Confectionery (Shiga) — "Manju has been enjoyed by Japanese people for more than 700 years. Originally created in Miyajima in the early 20th century, momiji manju is a popular treat to eat while admiring the maple leaves in autumn."
- Autumn Genmai Tea by Nakamura Seicha (Aichi) — "Inspired by the golden colours of autumn rice fields, Nakamura Seicha created this roasted brown rice blend. While genmai tea is traditionally mixed with green tea, it has been purposefully omitted from this blend to accentuate the warm golden colour of pure genmai tea."
- Okonomi Five Rice Snacks by Takeshin Confectionery (Aichi) — "Okonomi means 'as you like' in Japanese. This colourful variety of five rice snacks, three arare and two shrimp crackers, is a perfect array of flavours to suit everyone's palette, exactly as they like."
- Tamari Soy Sauce Senbei by Sanshu Confectionery (Tochigi) — "Since 1947, maker Sanshu Seika has stood by their company philosophy: 'We use the best of everything.' In this senbei, they use the rich, savoury, slightly nuanced flavour of Tamari soy sauce and pair it with a crunchy rice cracker."
- Spiced Arare by Takeshin Confectionery (Aichi) — "Made with mochi, these crispy, delicately spiced arare are baked to a rich golden colour, which is accentuated by paprika and soy sauce. Perfect for a light afternoon ochake — a snack with tea."
- Hand-Grilled Tako Senbei by Sugi Confectionery (Aichi) — "This satisfyingly crunchy rice cracker is made with Hokkaido octopus and Hidaka kelp. The makers at Sugi Confectionery kneed and grill and octopus by hand before seasoning it with a sweet and spicy sauce made from Mikawa mirin and white soy sauce."
- Isomaki Flower Arare by Maruyone Confectionery (Toyama) — "This arare is seasoned with soy sauce and rolled in seaweed sourced from the Mikawa bay area of Aichi Prefecture. The dynamic balance of savoury flavours paired with the crispy outer layer make this snack something special."
- Persimmon Jelly by Morihaku Confectionery (Gifu) — "With a history dating back more than 2,000 years in Asia, persimmon is one of the oldest cultivated fruits in the world. Here, it is pureed and incorporated into this beautifully wrapped, perfectly sweet jelly."
- Walnut Mochi by Ginsen (Osaka) — "The warm texture of baked walnuts combined with the sophisticated taste of the Japanese sugar gently sprinkled on top of this pillowy mochi creates the perfect harmony of flavour."
- Bite-Sized Neri Yokan by Hirata-ya (Shizuoka) — "Since 1923, Hirata-ya has preserved tradition by using the long-established process of slowly kneading together ingredients like azuki beans and sugar to create this refined sweet for a smooth but firm texture."
- Honey Apple Karinto by Kimura (Aichi) — "Infused with the mild sweetness of honey and the sourness of apples, this Aichi Prefecture karinto has an intricate, warm balance of flavours reminiscent of autumn days admiring the falling leaves."
- Lightly Salted Soybeans by Shuuwa (Fukuoka) — "Simple and light, this natural, earthy snack posesses only three ingredients: soybeans, salt, and sugar."
- Kakimochi Senbei by Maruyone Confectionery (Toyama) — "This rice cracker is derived from whole grains of domestic mochi and carefully kneaded with black tanba beans and white beans. It is modestly seasoned with vegetable oil and hakata salt from Ehime Prefecture."
- Temari Flower Dish by Bloom (Gifu) — "From a distance, it may look like colourful dots adorn this piece. Upon closer inspection, you'll find that it's a series of fluffy flowers gently placed around the brim. It is a beautiful representation of the many colours of Japanese autumn."
Okay, so after the whole September box snafu, Sakuraco has been good about including the proper amount of items in my boxes and has even put them on priority shipping so that they actually arrive before the month begins (I got this box last week). Not sure if this is a coincidence or not, but it really does seem like their customer service goes above and beyond to rectify issues. On that note, I am actually really excited about this box because it includes a lot more salty, crunchy snacks than usual, which are what I prefer. (I do, of course, love the occasional sweet treat which goes better with tea, but I tend to reach for salty snacks more often.) And also, that little fluffy flower dish is ADORABLE.
Finally, here are my picks from last month's box: the Ibaraki Sencha with Matcha, which is deliciously fresh and aromatic with the perfect hint of natural sweetness; the White Shrimp Arare, which has a great seafood flavour and a satisfying crunch; the Strawberry Tart, which is my favourite of the mini tarts so far; the Ibaraki Chestnut Karinto, which has the most addictive crunchy texture and a lovely mild, nutty flavour; and the Ibaraki Melon Jelly, which I had put in the fridge and made for the most refreshing juicy dessert. And in case you were wondering, I've decided that natto is ultimately not for me. There is this sour, smelly foot kind of odor that even frying couldn't get rid of, so I can't even imagine what actual natto tastes like.
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