Are you in love with Japan and its amazing culture? Or perhaps you love sampling and experiencing foreign cuisines and all their wonderful delicacies.
Either way, there’s a good chance that you’re always on the lookout for the opportunity to find stores that have these rare goodies. And if that doesn’t work out, you can always beg your friends visiting Japan to get you a fistful of delicious snacks.
But Bokksu offers you a much easier (and better option). And in this Bokksu review, I am going to look at why this subscription box service is one of a kind. If you love Japanese snacks or you’re looking to try new kinds of foods and foreign dishes, keep reading!
What is Bokksu?
To begin, let’s take a look at what Bokksu does.
Bokksu is a monthly subscription box for Japanese snacks. They send boxes with snacks, candies, and teas that you don’t usually find outside Japan. But that’s not all. Bokksu also partners with artisan families that have been making these kinds of snacks for centuries, thus keeping Japanese culture and tradition alive.
What Makes Bokksu So Great?
Bokksu is amazing because it’s about more than just sampling Japanese candies. These cutesy little subscription boxes also come with a little booklet about the snacks, their background and making, and their relation to Japanese culture and life.
Convenient:
Because of this, Bokksu lets you experience and appreciate Japanese culture and tradition from halfway across the world. While many travel bugs would love to visit Japan and explore the gorgeous country, not everyone can afford a trip abroad. Bokksu lets you experience the cuisine and traditions of Japan right at home, one bite at a time.
Authenticity and Sustainability:
Also, the snacks in the box are unique and can be only found in Japan. You won’t find them in your everyday supermarket, or even in an Asian grocery store. As a result, Bokksu is strict about maintaining cultural authenticity.
It strives against unethical business practices that can disrupt the economy of local businesses and the livelihoods of workers. Instead, it partners up with local businesses that have been perfecting the art of making these snacks for generations and shares their craft with the rest of the world.
What are the Snacks Like?
Curious about what kind of snacks you might find? I’ve got you covered!
Sweet:
The boxes are generally jam-packed with delectable candies and cookies. For instance, the gorgeous and handmade sakura, yuzu, and ramune candy are just a few of the artisanal candies you might find in your subscription box. Another popular item is the Japanese Kit Kats that the world adores.
There is also an assortment of delectable baked cookies and cakes with authentic Japanese flavors like matcha, red bean, maple butter, and kocha black tea.
Savory:
The subscription boxes also contain lots of savory goodies that will have you addicted. There are Hokkaido Cheese mochi puffs, rice crackers, red snapper chips, and spicy senbai just to name a few.
Vegetarian:
While Bokksu doesn’t have the option for a complete vegetarian subscription box, there are also countless vegetarian snacks included that are perfect for people who don’t eat meat. These include candies, baked goodies with natural yeast, corn sticks, and lotus root crackers.
Teas:
Japan is famous for its many teas and Bokksu lets you experience the full-bodied warmth and vitality of these tea leaves every month.
Whether you prefer pure earthy green teas, grassy matcha, or unique lattes, your subscription box will have something to delight your senses. There are organic teas you can serve piping hot, over ice, or even brewed cold.
Moreover, you might even get herbal teas like the Red Beauty herbal tea with delicious fruity notes, or the Ginger & Yuzu Herbal Tea that’s great for colds and sore throats.
Monthly Themes
Each box comes with a theme. These themes can vary–sometimes they’re about flavors that are similar or go well together. They can also be based on certain Japanese festivals or holidays. I found this very neat and a lovely way to connect all the flavors and colors one might find in their subscription box.
Some of the themes in the past include Tangy Citrus with its warm, bright colors and citrusy treats. The Limited-Edition Hanami blossoms-themed box was particularly pretty with its sakura flavored snacks and soft colors.
Similarly, the Moon Festival-themed box had all these tasty and elegant looking snacks like dark baked chocolat and black sesame rice crackers.
Ordering from Bokksu
Want to get your own subscription snack box? Here’s what you need to know.
Getting a Subscription:
Starting your subscription with Bokksu is pretty simple.
First, you have to choose your plan. You can either get a monthly plan, or 3-month plan, or a 12-month plan. You can also choose the type of Bokksu subscription box you want (more on that later).
Then, you just have to fill out the information required (personal details, payment information, and shipping address). And you’re all set! Depending on your plan, you will find a cute little subscription box packed with snacks waiting for you every month.
Subscription Boxes:
Bokksu offers two kinds of subscription boxes at the moment. Both boxes follow the same monthly theme and are carefully curated to include the best Japanese delicacies and snacks.
Classic Box:
The Classic Bokksu subscription contains an original assortment of 20-25 authentic Japanese snacks and a tea. It is a little more expensive than the Tasting option.
Tasting Box:
This is meant for people who are still experimenting with Japanese flavors and whose taste buds are still adjusting to all these unique snacks. They contain half the snacks of the Classic Box. Also, it is cheaper than the Classic option.
The Gift of Bokksu
Have a friend who loves Japanese food and/or culture? Bokksu is the best gift you can give them to show how much you appreciate them!
To gift someone a Bokksu subscription, simply provide your recipient’s address instead of your own. These subscriptions have a one-time payment and you choose a 3-month, 6-month, or 12-month subscription plan.
Each gift box will include:
- 20-25 Japanese snacks, sweets, candies, and a tea, all of which revolve around a fun theme.
- 16+ page guide/magazine about the products in the box and their origin.
What to Expect from Your First Bokksu Subscription Box
So you’ve subscribed to Bokksu, selected your preferred plan and box. You’ve waited patiently for the box to arrive. Now that it’s here, you’re not sure of what to expect.
But Bokksu makes sure you can ease your way into the tastes and flavors of their snacks. It also helps you get acquainted with all the flavors that Japan has to offer. To do so, the first box you get is called ‘Seasons of Japan’.
What does this box contain?
- Koikeya Minit’s Stick Potato: Suppa Mucho Plum– Potato sticks flavored with sour plum and perilla leaves.
- White Strawberry– Delectable strawberries infused with white chocolate.
- Mocchan Dango Mochi– Sticky, sugar-coated rice dumplings.
- Tottori 20th Century Pear Fromage Biscuit– A delicate biscuit made from pear, cheese, and white chocolate.
- Handmade Yuzu Sake Candy– A citrus-y candy containing yuzu juice and sake.
- Seaweed Tempura: Setouchi Sudachi Citrus Flavor– Tangy, crispy fried seaweed.
- Edamame Senbei– Nutty crackers with summer-y edamame baked into them.
- Dondon Yaki– Sweet and peppery rice crackers that are fried and marinated in tonkatsu sauce.
- Hokkaido Red Bean Doughnuts– Thick donuts filled with red bean paste.
- Black Sesame Taiko: Kumamon Design– Candied roasted almonds and black sesame seeds.
- Matcha Chocolate Stick Cake–Soft spongy matcha cake with bittersweet chocolate.
- Aomori Apple Caramel Yakkoi Sable– Chewy apple cookies with caramel butter.
- Uni Rice Cracker–Crispy rice crackers packed with savory, salty, and umami flavors.
- Puku Puku Tai: Chocolate–Mochi wafers filled with chocolate mousse and shaped like red snapper.
- Funwari Meijin Mochi Puffs: Kinako– Crispy, airy, cloud-like mochi balls.
- Organic Genmaicha Tea– Hearty green tea with toasted brown rice.
Why Give Bokksu a Shot?
If you haven’t signed up for a Bokksu subscription by now, these are just some of the reasons you need to do it right now!
- It gives you a chance to taste Japan’s most unique and authentic snacks.
- You get to learn and how the snacks are made and the history and tradition behind them.
- You help support local family businesses in Japan.
- The subscription boxes are a wonderful way to treat yourself.
- They also make a wonderful gift.
- Shipping is free all over the world.
- These boxes are a good way to explore Japanese culture right at home.
- Subscriptions are easy to set up and cancel whenever you want to.
In a Nutshell:
The longing to hop on a plane and experience foreign cultures can be powerful, even overwhelming. But most of us don’t have the time or money to go exploring. And if Japan is on your bucket list, Bokksu lets you experience it from thousands of miles away.
Whether you’re nibbling on some decadent candy or sipping some of the fragrant tea, or even flipping through the magazine, you will feel yourself transported to Japan. But as this Bokksu review shows you, these boxes are more than a means to get a taste of Japan. They allow you to support Japanese businesses and foster a connection with the people who made the goodies inside your snack box.
In short, Bokksu subscription boxes are like loving postcards from Japan, letting you know that it awaits your arrival.
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