My March Sakuraco box arrived while I was actually in Japan, so this post is really delayed. (In fact, my April box also arrived while I was in Japan, and my May box is already arriving next week so I have a lot of snacks to go through.) I was actually thinking of not posting this at all because this box is no longer available anyway, but I haven't missed a single one yet and I figured I can still use it for review and comparison purposes.
For those who don't know, Sakuraco is a monthly premium Japanese snack box subscription program. I decided to do six months to start and accidentally subscribed for another six months, which ended up being approximately $65 CAD per box after shipping costs. (I want to note that they do use DHL to ship. Out of the 8 boxes I've received, I only got charged for duties on one box, but I want to be transparent about additional fees.) It is not a cheap subscription, but the snacks have proved to be quite unique (and I say this after coming back from Japan). 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.
March's theme is "Taste of Japan," which, unlike the previous boxes, focuses on Japan as a whole. For this box, Sakuraco stated, "This month, we invite you on a journey to sample all of what Japan has to offer. As you taste these carefully curated snacks, let your taste buds transport you. Brace against the cold of Hokkaido, trek through the wilderness of Chiba, and feel the fresh sea breeze of Okinawa. Indulge in the diverse bits of flavour that's developed over the centuries from the land of the Rising Sun." I think that Sakuraco decided to do this "general" theme for the sake of introducing new subscribers to Japanese snacks, although as someone who was only able to explore three cities in Japan, I still think it's interesting to see snacks from other parts of the country that I wasn't able to visit. (And it's pretty cool that I can say I've visited the place featured on the front of the snack guide this month.)
This month's box comes with a postcard featuring the artwork, The Entrance Gate at Enoshima in Sagami Province, from the series, Thirty-Six Views of Mt. Fuji, 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, snack, 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 "Taste of Japan" box are the following items:
- Kuromitsu Kinako Mochi by Tengudo Takarabune (Hokkaido) — "Japan's northernmost prefecture, Hokkaido, endures harsh and snowy winters. The Hokkaido-based makers at Tengudo Takarabune have crafted a kinako (soybean flour) mochi to warm the soul and wrapped it in a kuromitsu, or brown sugar, edible wrapping."
- Salted Caramel Nut Sable by Nanpudo (Okinawa) — "In contrast to Hokkaido's harsh winters, Okinawa is known as a vacation destination for those wishing to escape into a tropical paradise. The moderate saltiness of the Okinawan salt is the perfect contrast to the sweet, smooth flavour of caramel."
- Edomae Sushi Candy by Sanshu Confectionery (Saitama) — "These sushi-shaped pieces of sweet candy are a treat for the eyes and the taste buds. Each piece is artfully crafted by the makers at Sanshu Confectionery in Saitama to resemble the traditional Japanese dish."
- Vanilla Hime Kagami by Kawachi Surugaya (Osaka) — "Creamy vanilla filling sit encased between two crisp waffle-inspired wafers to create this decadent cookie sandwich from Osaka's Kawachi Surugaya."
- Hina Arare by Tenkei Confectionery (Nagano) — "Filled with slightly sweet red bean paste, this moist Japanese-style pie has a wonderfully tender, buttery crust. It's perfect as a light dessert or as an afternoon snack."
- Hitoiki Cafe Cream Cake by Lima (Osaka) — "These sweet cakes from Osaka tempt the tastebuds with a creamy filling inside. Their pillowy outside harmoniously blends with the sweet smooth flavours enveloped inside. A delightful surprise awaits with a clue on the packaging. Will you sink your teeth into an indulgent custard cream or a fruity banana filling?"
- Sencha by Gion Tsujiri (Kyoto) — "The ritual of preparing and savouring sencha, a type of Japanese green tea, has a rich history dating back to the 18th century. The birthplace of sencha, Kyoto, has a rich cultural heritage helping to shape sencha as a symbol of refinement and elegance. Traveling to Kyoto today, you'll still find sencha being used for traditional tea ceremonies throughout the city."
- Yatsuhashi by Kyoeidou (Kyoto) — "Rice flour is carefully kneaded and mixed with sugary cinnamon powder and sesame seeds, then rolled out and baked to create this signature yatsuhashi. Kyoeidou's confectioneries are known across Japan as Kyoto's representative souvenirs."
- Lightly Spiced Mayo Crackers by Maeda Confectionery (Osaka) — "Mayonnaise and chili peppers are carefully kneaded with dough then topped with a sprinkling of cod roe mayonnaise seasoning to create these rice crackers. The spiciness of the chili pepper and cod roe combined with the mildness of the mayonnaise create the perfect balance of savoury flavours."
- Mayonnaise Arare by Takahashi Shokuhin (Osaka) — "The bold flavours of savoury shrimp, nutty sesame, and the ocean's essence of seaweed are expertly blended together with rich mayonnaise to create this arare. Light and crispy, these arare are the perfect snack for traveling."
- Kanji Side Dish by Yamako (Gifu) — "This side dish is decorated with the red and white traditional symbols that represent key aspects of Japanese culture. On the lids of the dishes, you can find a fuku character, meaning fortune, a kotobuki character, meaning longevity, and a mizuhiki symbol, meaning togetherness."
- Mini Millet Okoshi by Nissin Foods (Nara) — "Starting as far back as the 8th century, this treat was used as an inconic omiyage, or souvenir, for travelers in the Kansai region. This okoshi from Nissin Foods has a perfectly balanced taste of ginger infused in its millet."
- Matcha Round Boro by Motomura Confectionery (Saga) — "The makers at Motomura Confectionery craft the subtle sweetness of this soft cookie by carefully kneading green tea into its dough, lending it its beautiful green colour hidden inside."
- Chestnut Kanoko by Morihaku Confectionery (Gifu) — "This jelly, called kanoko, hails from Gifu prefecture. Its warm, golden colour gives a hint to the earthy, lightly sweet taste of the jelly. At the bottom of the jelly, you'll find a candied chestnut surrounded by azuki beans sourced from Hokkaido."
- Salted Yokan by Yoneya (Chiba) — "This bite-sized, delicately-flavoured red bean paste jelly is made from salt from the inhabited volcanic island off of the coast of Chiba prefecture called Izu Oshima. A two-hour boat ride from Mainland Japan, Izu Oshima is known by many adventure seekers as an island escape."
- Akita Miso Senbei by Akita Inafuku (Akita) — "This rice cracker is made with the finest miso from Kodama Brewery in Akita prefecture. Crispy, bite-sized, and infused with a delicate sweetness, it serves as a perfect representation of the culinary heritage of Akita prefecture. Furthermore, this senbei was the recipient of the Akita Food Championship 2021 Encouragement Award.
I actually went to Ujicha Gion Tsujiri while visiting Kyoto, so I am particularly excited for the inclusion of their sencha in this box. I've discovered that I love really potent green tea and the one at Ujicha Gion Tsujiri is excellent. (One of my regrets is not bringing back a couple boxes of their sencha while I was actually at the store. Alas, I had no more luggage space.)
My picks from February's box: Chocolate Strawberries (it's basically freeze-dried strawberries dipped in chocolate, but the crunchiness somehow makes it more addictive — and way cheaper — than fresh chocolate-dipped strawberries), Ogura An Pie (I'm kind of indifferent to the red bean paste filling, but the buttery crust is hecking delicious), Senshu Onion Sable (you wouldn't think an onion-flavoured butter cookie would work, but this was surprisingly tasty), and the Kinchidori Soup Bowl (which is super cute and has really come in handy — except I use it to hold my fruits rather than soup).
Finally, a reminder to those who have decided to subscribe to Sakuraco: Sakuraco will auto-renew your subscription if you do not cancel before your previous subscription ends. Remember that any amount paid is final and non-refundable. So always double-check when your subscription will end so you don't get surprise charged.
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