Although life in Japan can be pretty hectic at times, tea culture is also a central part of life. That means slowing down and taking time to appreciate the small pleasures of a refreshing drink and an exquisitely made snack.
Sakuraco is a monthly subscription box from Japan that aims to bring traditional Japanese snacks and tea culture to the world. If you are interested in traditional Japanese sweets and lifestyle, you will love this box.
Read on for my Sakuraco box review and find out what’s inside!
Disclaimer: Sakuraco sent me a free box to review. This post contains affiliate links. Words and opinions are my own.
What is the Sakuraco box?
Sakuraco is a monthly box of authentic Japanese treats that ships direct from Japan all over the world.
The focus is on products made by traditional makers and small businesses. You can learn about their makers on their website and in the booklet that comes with each box. Many of them are family businesses that have specialised in their craft over years.
Each box has a different theme, such as a region of Japan or a seasonal event. You can order a one-off box as a treat or subscribe for monthly boxes.
Sakuraco is the sister of the TokyoTreat box that I reviewed last week. But whereas TokyoTreat is focused on popular snacks and trendy treats, Sakuraco is focused on traditional flavours and small makers.
What’s inside the Sakuraco box?
Each box contains 15-20 items. These are a mix of sweet and savoury snacks, plus Japanese tea and an item for the home such as chopsticks or a furoshiki cloth.
The snacks include traditional Japanese treats such as mochi, manju, yokan and konpeito sweets and senbei crackers.
Sakuraco sent me a free box to review. I received the August 2022 box, with the theme ‘Okinawa Retreat’. Let’s peek inside!
Here are all the items that came in the August box:
- Okinawa Shikuwasa Jelly
- Blueberry Tart x2
- Okinawa Brown Sugar Bread
- Okinawa Sanpincha x2
- Okinawa Cinnamon Cookie
- Walnut Cookie x2
- Chili Shrimp Arare x2
- Okinawa Brown Sugar Kuzumochi
- Sata Andagi Brown Sugar Donut
- Shikuwasa Manju
- Tannafakuru Brown Sugar Cookie
- Snow Salt Milk Chinsuko x2
- Brown Sugar Karinto
- Ichimatsu Chopsticks
Unboxing was a very nice experience. The items are beautifully arranged in an elegant sakura print box. They were packed in well and there was no damage from transit. On top of the box was a beautiful postcard with a welcome message from the box’s founder.
There was also a booklet in the box with details on each of the items, plus some articles on Okinawan culture and on some of the makers of the products in the box.
Since this was an Okinawan themed box, many of the snacks featured two of Okinawa’s most famous products: shikuwasa (a citrus fruit sometimes called Okinawa limes) and kokuto (brown sugar).
I particularly enjoyed the brown sugar bread and the Shikuwasa jelly!
I was surprised that my box only contained two teabags, since they advertise themselves as based on the Japanese tea culture. I did enjoy the Okinawan Sanpincha tea, but I would have liked to sample some different teas.
I liked that each box contains something for the home! I will be able to enjoy my chopsticks for years, long after the food items have gone.
Who would enjoy a Sakuraco box?
Foodies would love the Sakuraco box, as well as anyone interested in Japanese traditional culture and regional produce. You will also be a fan of this box if you want to support small businesses.
Sakuraco’s sister box, TokyoTreat might be more up your alley if you’re interested in popular culture, and it’s also likely to be more popular with children!
Be aware that many of the products contain allergens and/or are not vegetarian. Unfortunately you can’t customise a box to your dietary requirements. However, dietary information is provided in the accompanying booklet.
Sakuraco box pricing
You can order the Sakuraco box as a monthly subscription, or just as an individual box. If you choose a subscription, it will be cheaper, but you have to pay the full cost upfront.
| 12 Months | $32.50/mo |
| 6 Months | $33.50/mo |
| 3 Months | $35.50/mo |
| Monthly | $37.50/mo |
Use coupon code TEAMJAPANESE for $5 off!
Check current prices and offers on the website!
You can also sign a friend up for a gift subscription. A lovely gift idea for a Japan lover!
Sakuraco box review: is it worth it?
I enjoyed my Sakuraco box and I would recommend it to anyone interested in sampling traditional Japanese foods. I liked that it was not just a random box of snacks: the monthly theme and the information booklet meant that I could take a deep dive into an area of Japan and I learned something too!
The packaging and presentation was very nice and it was a real treat to unpack.
Have you tried the Sakuraco box, or any other Japanese subscription box? What did you think?
Related posts:
- TokyoTreat Box Review
- Sakuraco Unboxing December 2022 Edition
- 11 Awesome Japanese Subscription Boxes To Bring Japan To You
- 21+ Awesome Gift Ideas For Japan Lovers
Rebecca is the founder of Team Japanese. She spent two years teaching English in Ehime, Japan. Now back in the UK, she spends her time blogging, self-studying Japanese and wrangling a very genki toddler.
I have had a Sakuraco subscription since August 2021, and I’ve loved every box. When I was in a nursing home earlier this year regaining my strength after a heart attack, my husband brought my Sakuraco box and a JapanHaul order to my room to lift my spirits. The staff were very interested in the snacks, and at least two signed up for boxes themselves. There are new flavors every month that I can discover. I had never heard of yuzu or shikuwasa, and I find that I love both. Persimmon and chestnut are also flavors that are oishii. The texture of mochi is another fun thing, as well as senbei. It’s also nice to read about the snacks and the region spotlighted each month, especially when they do a box from Okinawa – my hubby was born there.
I’m amassing a nice collection of housewares from Sakuraco. I am looking forward to the furoshiki this month. Some chopsticks rests would be nice, and they are probably in an upcoming box.
I write a review every month in my DreamWidth journal. That’s enjoyable. Athena Scalzi (daughter of the famous science fiction writer John Scalzi) wrote better ones, or at least more fun to read.
Hi Linda, thank you for sharing your experience with Sakuraco! It’s so nice to hear that you’ve had a good experience and that the box could raise your spirits during a difficult time. I love Japanese fruits like yuzu and persimmon too, and the home goods are one of my favourite things about Sakuraco. I love how you can build up a collection and slowly Japanify your home! I will check out your reviews too. Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy the December box. 🙂
I love to receive my lovely gift box each month. I was a gift from my son and it it is beautiful and makes me feel special as I enjoy the little treats with a cuppa
It really is a special treat to receive isn’t it 😊 what a thoughtful gift from your son! Thank you for sharing your experience.