My January Sakuraco box has finally 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 ended up being approximately $60 CAD per box after shipping costs. (I want to note that they do use DHL to ship. Out of the six boxes I've received, I only got charged for duties on one box, but I want to be transparent about additional fees.) 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. All monthly boxes are available from the 15th of every month to the 15th of the next month.
January's theme is "New Year's in Niigata," focusing on both the celebration of the Year of the Rabbit and Niigata Prefecture, which "endures some of the heaviest snowfall in all of Japan. The snow contributes to their livelihood, creating fertile land and clear water ready for rice cultivation in the spring." Indeed, the main industry in Niigata is agriculture with rice as their principal product, and "among the prefectures of Japan, Niigata is second only to Hokkaidō in rice output." Niigata is also "known throughout Japan for its high-quality sake, senbei, mochi, and arare" and skiing is one of their main draws for tourists, "especially in the alpine areas of Myōkō and Yuzawa."
This month's box comes with a postcard featuring the Edo-era artwork, Beauty and Children in Winter by Kikugawa Eizan. 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 item included in the box, with detailed descriptions and allergy warnings. Included in my "New Year's in Niigata" box are the following items:
- Echigohime Strawberry Crepe by Kikuya (Niigata) — "Makers at Kikuya in Niigata made this Western-style pastry using Niigata strawberries called echigohime, meaning the princesses of Echigo (modern-day Niigata). The strawberry creme is wrapped in a blanket of fluffy cake."
- Rabbit Hozui by Ashida Confectionery (Kyoto) — "The rabbit is seen as the luckiest sign in the lunar calendar and symbolizes mercy, elegance, and beauty. Here, we see the auspicious rabbit in the form of a sweet hozui, or Japanese-style marshmallow. This delicate treat is filled with a creamy white bean paste."
- Snow Rabbit Soft Chew by Ishizuka Confectionery (Kyoto) — "2023 is the year of the rabbit according to the lunar calendar. This perfectly firm sweet chew is modeled after a yukiusagi, or snow rabbit. Snow rabbits are round snow sculptures made to resemble small rabbits with green leaves of evergreen trees for ears and red nuts for eyes. These cute creatures are a quintessential representation of winter."
- True Heart Chocolate by Chirin Confectionery (Osaka) — "The crisp colourful coating on these bite-sized morsels is protecting the melt-in-your-mouth chocolate hidden within. Each package of chocolate contains words of gratitude commonly expressed during the start of a new year."
- Hatsune Okaki by Sakura Confectionery (Niigata) — "Makers at Sakura Confectionery crafted this sweet and spicy rice cracker seasoned with bonito and kelp broth and topped with a sweet soy-based sauce. It's then covered with a dusting of coarse soybean flakes."
- Sakuraco Sake Cup by Diversion (Gifu) — "Niigata is a major producer of sake, an alcoholic beverage made from fermented rice. The distinct blue and white double circle pattern on the bottom of the cup is strikingly named jenome, a snake's eye. This specific design is said to enhance the subtle yellow hues of sake. We've partnered with Diversion to bring you this timeless classic."
- Hyoroku Mochi by Seika Foods (Kagoshima) — "This exquisitely soft and elastic mochi boasts the bold flavours of seaweed, green tea, and white bean paste. Its packaging and name are inspired by 'The Tale of Hyoroku's Dreams,' a highly-acclaimed Japanese story of a man hunting wild mischievous foxes."
- Niigata Nanban Shrimp Cracker by Echigo Meihan (Niigata) — "The nanban shrimp of Niigata are renowned for their red colour and shape, which resemble a nanban pepper. These shrimp are caught off the coast of Sado Island, Niigata. From there, the shrimp are made into a paste and carefully kneaded into dough, which is then baked to crisp perfection."
- Ajigonomi by Bourbon (Niigata) — "These iconic snacks have been sold in Japan since the 1980s. Inside, you'll find rice crackers, bite-sized bean treats, and anchovies."
- Bakauke Sesame Rice Crackers by Kuriyama Beika (Niigata) — "These crispy bite-sized fried rice snacks have black sesame seeds with honey soy sauce kneaded into the dough, giving them their sweet and savoury flavour."
- Konjac Yokan by Kanai Foods (Niigata) — "Konjac and yokan are quite a rare pairing. Craftsmen at Kanai Foods have paired azuki beans with a special konjac flour to create this sumptuous yokan treat. The packaging has cute Japanese depictions of a plum flower, sea bream, and Mt. Fuji."
- Fortune Cookie by Seki Confectionery (Kyoto) — "These fortune cookies are slightly sweet and have a warm, comforting taste. Inside these cookies, you'll find a omijuki, or fortune."
- Negi Miso Senbei by Kiyonoya (Niigata) — "Kiyonoya uses miso from Ojiya, Niigata Prefecture, to perfectly compliment Fukaya green onions, or negi, for the glaze that coats these fluffy baked rice crackers."
- Brown Sugar Karinto by Natsume Confectionery (Aichi) — "With over 2,000 years of history, karinto is a classic in Japanese snack cuisine. Indulge in the satisfying crunch of karinto infused with a rich brown sugar flavour."
- Matcha Anko Dorayaki by Kimura (Kumamoto) — "This dorayaki is characterized by its sweetness, richness, and delicious flavour. The soft, chewy outer layers are the perfect veil for the richly-flavoured matcha bean paste filling inside."
- Ayumi's Favourite Snacks of 2022: 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."
- Genmai Black Bean Houjicha by Shikouen (Niigata) — "The craftsmen of Shikoen have created their Genmai Black Bean Houjicha with inspiration from the traditional New Year's food, osechi. Osechi features small side dishes that each represent a different meaning for the new year. Black beans represent strength and health."
My picks from last month's box: Uni Rice Cracker (great flavour — a little briny with a touch of sweetness), Wasabi Mayonnaise Peanuts (amazing crunch, and the spiciness of wasabi is perfectly tempered with the mellow, umami flavour of Japanese mayo), Strawberry and Yogurt Piccolo Dolce (fresh, sweet, and creamy — a great after-dinner dessert), Amaou Strawberry Almonds (like Strawberry Pocky-flavoured almonds, strangely addictive), and Yuba Chips (airy and crispy, with just the right amount of salt — one bag just isn't enough).
And with that, this month's box was the last of my 6-month subscription. Now, this is where I give you the biggest warning of subscribing to the Sakuraco snack program: Sakuraco will auto-renew your subscription if you do not cancel before your previous subscription ends. I very stupidly thought that once my six month program ended, that would be the end of it unless I chose to subscribe again. I WAS WRONG. IT'S CALLED A SUBSCRIPTION FOR A REASON. So Sakuraco automatically charged me $276 USD for THE NEXT SIX MONTHS. I wasn't going to renew because a) it's just too pricey with the shipping cost (again, it's $46 USD a month, which is about $63 CAD), and b) I'm going to Japan in April so I can get all the Japanese snacks I want at a fraction of the cost.
I contacted Sakuraco literally 30 minutes after I got charged to cancel the subscription and get a refund. But any amount paid is final and NON-REFUNDABLE. I couldn't even fight it through PayPal or my bank because it's stated in their Terms of Service. So, BE YE NOT SO STUPID and READ THE FINE PRINT.
Sigh. I guess it could be worse. At least I like snacks.
Be First to Post Comment !
Post a Comment