A Beginners Guide: Japanese Snack Subscription Services

You are in the snack aisle at your local grocery store and you know you definitely want something snacky…but nothing is really standing out to you.This has definitely happened to you before hasn’t it? Of course it’s not a dire issue but it is definitely an annoying one.

A simple solution to this snack slump is of course to get out there and try new snacks. But how exactly does one come by new snacks, you ask. Well, you could always try snack subscription boxes. And if you have any interest in Japanese snack culture, or just delicious snack culture, a good option is a Japanese snack subscription box.

Beginners Guide

I know we are suggesting you buy Japanese snacks online and get a Japanese snack subscription service like that’s an easy task even though there are many of them on the market now. With so many different options how do you know which one is the best one for you?

A subscription snack box service is exactly what the name implies. You sign up for a plan that either renews on a monthly, 3 month, 6 month, or 12 month basis. Usually the plans are cheaper per month when you sign up for longer plans.

For example, according to the TokyoTreat website, if you sign up for the monthly subscription plan it is $37.50 every month, and let it run for a year you will end up paying $450 in 12 installments. However if you sign up for the 12 month plan you will pay a one time price of $390.

These prices for TokyoTreat do not include shipping which is different depending on where you live. So, make sure you factor in the cost of shipping when pricing out the different services available. With each of these plans however, you will receive a different themed snack box delivered to your door every month.

Two Big Players TT vs Bokksu

There are definitely two big options when it comes to Japanese snack box subscription services. TokyoTreat is a Japanese run company whose headquarters are located in, you guessed it, Tokyo. The other really big name to look out for is Bokksu who does have an office in Japan, but is primarily ran out of a headquarters in New York.

Aside from both providing you with Japanese sweets and snacks, these two services are actually quite different. Here are some points you can consider when you are trying to decide which snack box you should spend your hard earned money on.

Contents

Now the heart of what we are doing here is looking for snacks, so of course we are going to need to compare the kind of Japanese treats you are going to get. This is honestly the part of the process that will sway you more towards one service the most.

Something you can look at when thinking about what snack box to get is the whole box. What will come in your box along with your snacks. Some other things could be, drinks, noodles, and information booklet / culture guide.

Snacks

Both TokyoTreat and Bokksu offer high quality and Japan exclusive items. TokyoTreat provides more modern and pop culture relevant snacks, while Bokksu likes to focus on snacks with a more traditional feel. They both have almost the same number of snacks. 

Where Bokksu might have 19 in one box to TokyoTreats’ 17 usually means that Bokksu will offer multiples of the same snack or small sample versions of it. TokyoTreat more often than not will have full size products and larger portions of the snacks to eat and share with others.

Looking for a Japanese snack box with limited edition and exclusive treats? TokyoTreat has you covered with rare Kit Kat flavors and seasonal snacks!

Drinks

Of course Japanese snack culture isn’t just about the food, so both TokyoTreat and Bokksu contain something to drink that pairs well with all of the snacks. TokyoTreat offers a soft drink in each of their boxes, which are often specialty and limited edition flavors only found in Japan.

This includes things like Sakura flavored Pepsi, Melon Float Soda, Fanta Yogurt Rush White and Yellow Peach, and bottles of milk tea. A definite thrill of a TokyoTreat box is seeing what cool drink flavor you have to try out that month.

As for Bokksu, you can expect to receive one to two tea bags a month of a specially chosen flavor that pairs with some of the snacks from the box. Past flavors have included things like green tea with lemongrass, a spring gold green tea, and corn tea.

Noodles

Unfortunately this part of the comparison is short because only one of these subscription services offers noodles in their box. For anyone who has spent time in Japan knows, the supermarket shelves are often filled with limited edition and seasonal flavors of almost everything. Instant noodles are no different. These flavors are often only locally sold so it can be hard to find them overseas.

Well TokyoTreat really comes through on this point because they include a pack or box of instant noodles in all of their boxes. TokyoTreat really excels in giving their subscribers a feeling of getting something that is exclusive to Japan, a limited supply item, and a quality item. With these noodles, you could be trying flavors that even some living in Japan haven’t tried. 

Booklet

The booklets, or culture guides that are found in TokyoTreat and Bokksu boxes are both pretty informative. First and foremost they both break down each item in their boxes so you know what you are eating. This also means including allergen information and letting you know if they are vegetarian friendly or not. Both booklets also include culture notes that are designed to teach you something new about Japan in a fun way.

The main difference that stands out here is how much you value learning about Japanese culture and how much you just want to know what your snacks are. Because TokyoTreat’s booklet is definitely longer and has more robust culture articles. Bokksu definitely likes to focus more on the photographs and the artistic nature of the items that are in front of you. You can check out a deeper comparison of TokyoTreat and Bokksu’s booklets for more information.

Conclusion

We hope that this guide will help you a little bit when trying to decide which Japanese snack subscription service is right for you. Still unsure though? That’s ok, we have a few more references for you to help you make a better informed choice. Here we compared the sakura themed boxes for both TokyoTreat and Bokksu, and here we took a look at both of their Valentine’s Day boxes.