If you’ve tasted Japanese snacks, I’m sure you will agree with me that Japanese snacks are none like any other! They are delectable, meticulously prepared (it’s the Japanese craftsmanship!) and often have deep cultural significance.
While you can get popular Japanese snacks from your local retail stores, if you want to experience the authentic Japanese tea-time snack experience, the best way is to get them through Japanese snacks subscription boxes.
There are several companies that provide Japanese snacks subscription boxes, but the two most prominent ones are Sakuraco and Bokksu.
Both Sakuraco and Bokksu deliver authentic Japanese snacks and treats straight to customers’ doors through monthly curated boxes. Each box feature a curated selection of snacks based on the month’s theme.
So, which one is better?
I subscribed to both Sakuraco and Bokksu, and I will be comparing the differences between the two subscription boxes.
In the end, I’ll conclude with my verdict.
Sakuraco vs Bokksu: Pricing
First, let’s start comparing the pricing. The table below shows the subscription price for both Sakuraco and Bokksu per box based on the duration of subscription.
| Duration | Sakuraco Price (USD) | Bokksu Price (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 months | $32.50/month | $39.99/month |
| 6 months | $33.50/month | $43.99/month |
| 3 months | $35.50/month | $45.99/month |
| 1 month | $37.50/month | $49.99/month |
Sakuraco’s price exclude shipping. Meanwhile, Bokksu’s price may or may not include shipping, depending on the customer’s country.
Sakuraco vs Bokksu: Shipping
Sakuraco’s shipping costs between $10.50 to $12.50, depending on the destination country.
Bokksu claims that their prices include shipping. But, after checking through the FAQ, there are additional shipping fees (between $4.99 to $22.99) for certain countries, such as Australia, Canada, Brazil, UAE, and several other countries.
Sakuraco’s shipping includes tracking, so I was able to monitor the journey of my parcel. Meanwhile, Bokksu’s shipping doesn’t include tracking, so I couldn’t really estimate when it will arrive.
I ordered both Sakuraco and Bokksu boxes on the same day, which was on Monday. Both boxes were shipped out on Wednesday.
Sakuraco’s box arrived on Friday the same week (4 days after order was made), and I even got an email telling me my parcel would arrive on that day.
Meanwhile, Bokksu’s box takes longer and only arrived on Wednesday the next week (9 days after order was made); no notifications were sent to inform me that my box would arrive on that day.
In terms of shipping experience, Sakuraco definitely wins over Bokksu. The ability to track my parcel allows me to have a peace of mind. With Bokksu, I was constantly worried that the box would come when I’m out of town. And I obviously prefer to get my snacks sooner rather than later.
Sakuraco vs Bokksu: The Snacks
Now, let’s get into the main highlight of the box!
Sakuraco’s box consists of 20 items (19 snacks and 1 home goods), while Bokksu’s box consists of 22 items (all snacks).
Sakuraco’s snacks weigh 420 grams without home good, and 510 grams with home good. Bokksu’s snacks weight 430 grams. So, both boxes have roughly equal weight of snacks. In terms of total weight (including home ware), Sakuraco wins with 510 grams.
In terms of flavour profile, Sakuraco has 2 savoury snacks, 15 sweet snacks, and 2 teas. Bokksu has 7 savoury snacks, 14 sweet snacks, and 1 tea. If you’re a die-hard savoury snack lover, you might lean towards Bokksu. And if you’re a die-hard sweet snack lover, Sakuraco would suit you better.
Sakuraco provides 2 bags of tea so that you can share this tea-time experience with your loved one. Bokksu only has 1 bag of tea, it’s not a problem if you’re consuming the snacks on your own, but if you’re inviting a companion, you will need to prepare another tea on your own.
In terms of taste, the snacks from both boxes are equally good. It’s the Japanese snacks we’re talking about!
Most of Sakuraco’s snacks are sourced from local snack makers, such as Tenkei Confectionery, Tokyo Karinto, Tsuruya Confectionery, Ito Confectionery, Tsuyamaya Confectionery, Tokiwado, Suehiro Confectionery, and many more. Many of the snack makers do not export overseas, so the snacks are pretty unique.
Bokksu’s snacks are also sourced from local snack makers, such as Senbei Lab, Nakajima Taishodo, Honma, Daimonji. However, some of these snacks can be easily found overseas.
Sakuraco vs Bokksu: Beyond Snacks
Each Sakuraco box contains a high-quality home good, such as bowl, plate, glass, chopsticks, etc.
In this “Traditions of Tokyo” box, there is a ceramic plate designed with Japanese icons and Tokyo landmarks. I love this plate so much because it reminds me of the places I visited in Tokyo, like Tokyo Skytree and Kaminarimon Gate at Asakusa.
Since this plate is a special collaboration between Sakuraco and Bloom, you won’t be able to find it elsewhere.
And if you subscribe to Sakuraco for 3 months, 6 months or 12 months, you can get a uniquely Japanese gift when you use the promo code which you can find on Sakuraco’s website (look for Today’s Offer).
Bokksu doesn’t include home good in its box. And there’s no gift if you subscribe for multiple months.
Sakuraco vs Bokksu: Booklet
The theme of Sakuraco box that I’m subscribed to is “Traditions of Tokyo”. Inside Sakuraco box, there is a 24-page booklet which contains:
- Snack descriptions, including common allergen information and whether it is vegetarian friendly
- Tokyo travel guide
- Arts of Edo (Tokyo’s former name)
- Team’s message
- In-depth stories of the snackmakers
I really enjoy learning about Tokyo through Sakuraco’s articles. It gives me a deeper appreciation of Japanese culture, history and the people behind the snacks. The fact that Sakuraco’s booklet is read from right to left tells a lot about their mission to stay as authentic as possible.
For Bokksu, the theme of the first box is always “Seasons of Japan”. Inside Bokksu box, there is a 24-page booklet which contains:
- Snack descriptions, including common allergen information, whether it is vegetarian friendly, and whether it’s sweet or savory
- Map showing origins of each snack
- Founder’s photo and mission statement
- Brief stories of the snackmakers, which a link to their Bokksu’s website
Bokksu booklet is quite dry as it is mostly about snacks. Unlike Sakuraco, Bokksu’s booklet is read from left to right like a normal western book.
Sakuraco vs Bokksu: Current Box & Past Boxes
On Sakuraco’s website, you can see the theme and content of current box as well as past boxes. They even have unboxing videos showing the content of the box. Additionally, they open up the snack so you get to see exactly what you will get!
On Bokksu’s website, there is no information about current box. There are information about past boxes, but it’s quite hard to locate the webpage. If you love surprises, this might be for you.
For me, I prefer transparency over surprises anytime. I want to know exactly what I will get, and I want to know whether it’s worth my hard-earned money before I make an order.
My Verdict
While both Sakuraco and Bokksu are similar in its overall concept, there are several distinctions in the box curation and overall customer experience.
In my opinion, Sakuraco offers a better overall snacking experience. I get to track my box and get it within the same week of my order date. I get to know exactly what snacks I will get each time, before the box even arrives.
I get to learn more about Japanese history, culture and people through its booklet.
I get well-curated selection of snacks that can rarely be found outside Japan. I get high quality snacks from confectioneries that were established over 50 years ago.
And best of all, I get to keep a piece of Japan in my home (i.e. the home good that comes with every Sakuraco box)!
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