Sakuraco vs. TokyoTreat: Which One Is Right for You?
There was a time when, if you were into Japanese entertainment and wanted to try the snacks you saw onscreen, you were limited to the one guy at the anime con dealer room who sold Pocky or the soda candy that came with your Sailor Moon figure blind box in the same dealer room. Nowadays, you can get just about anything you want by mail, if not at a store in your town.
Among the myriad treat boxes you can get are Sakuraco and TokyoTreat. This month, I got a chance to sample both their September boxes. I'm a six-month (so far) Sakuraco subscriber, but I was excited to see what was different between the two boxes—and see if I could do a bit of comparison shopping to help other potential snackers figure out which they should go for.
What's the Same?
The first thing to note is that Sakuraco and TokyoTreat both hail from the same parent company: ICHIGO. This company also offers kawaii culture and beauty boxes (YumeTwins and nomakenolife, respectively) and the TokyoCatch online crane game. The JapanHaul site stocks previous months' boxes, individual items from said boxes, and gift sets and bundles.
In other words, these two snack boxes are two sides of the same coin. Each offers a massive selection of curated treats from Japan, often on the same or a similar theme. This month, for example, both boxes adopted a Tsukimi, or moon-viewing, theme. In addition to special packaging for the occasion, each box was stocked with snacks and beverages just right for a moon-viewing party.
So that's what they have in common. Now let's see what sets them apart from each other!
TokyoTreat: Thoroughly Modern
This was my first time getting a TokyoTreat box, and I was super impressed. I'll always be amazed at how much they fit into one crate. The snacks provided offer a snapshot of everyday life in Japan: readily available snacks from modern brands (mascots and all), a sampling of canned juice and instant noodles, and more.
The curation was pretty decent. Snacks were included either for autumnal flavors or for some relation to the moon: chocolate-mint moon rock candy, various round things like smoky potato crisps and custard-flavored chocolate balls, and the like. There was an even enough mix of familiar and unfamiliar flavors to be approachable even to someone unfamiliar with snacks outside their own culture.
Best of the box: KitKat Chestnut. All the best KitKat flavors live in Japan, apparently. I was happy to finally get to try one off the beaten path.
New discovery: Mikan juice. After hearing about Chika's obsession with mikan in Love Live! Sunshine!!, I wanted an opportunity to see what the big deal was. I may not be quite as much of a mikan acolyte as she is, but I definitely get the appeal.
Pleasant surprise: Sweet soy sauce kibidango. I'm relatively adventurous with food, but I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this. The packaging features a drawing of Tokyo Skytree, and the kibidango itself actually tasted really nice.
Sakuraco: Traditional Teatime
When I initially picked one of ICHIGO's boxes for myself, I went for Sakuraco. This box specializes in more traditional snacks, and each month's box comes with a tea pairing and some manner of home goods (plates, glasses, etc.). The guide that comes with each box also highlights the makers of the snacks and goods, offering insight into the history and tradition of the snacks.
I've been enjoying the curation of my Sakuraco boxes, and this month was no exception. There's consistently a wide variety of things, including at least one thing I'm completely unfamiliar with. The home goods are always lovely, too, and I use them regularly.
Best of the box: A tie between the hatomugi tea and the chocolate creme danish, which I had together. part of what I love about this box is that you can do tea and snack pairings, and just about anything in the box will go nicely with the tea included.
New discovery: Anko dorayaki. I've been curious about dorayaki for as long as I've known who Doraemon is, and I love anko anyway. I can see why he's into them.
Pleasant surprise: White chocolate infused strawberries. Don't get me wrong, I was not expecting to dislike these. But I was also not prepared for just how good they were.
All things considered, both of these boxes are excellent. A lot of thought went into the curation and theming of each, not to mention the book that came in each crate. What it comes down to is what you're personally looking for.
Are you new-ish to the world of Japanese treats? Do you like to be on top of all things modern? Is your ideal evening watching anime and sharing snacks with your friends? Go for TokyoTreat.
Are you relatively familiar with the culture and history and want to go deeper? Do you like to romanticize your life a bit? Does your ideal evening involve a cup of tea and some quiet time? Go for Sakuraco.
Can't decide? Shop around on JapanHaul!
Thanks so much to the team at ICHIGO for letting me sample TokyoTreat and share my thoughts with you. If you subscribe to either box (or both!), let me know what you think!
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