Reviewed by
Mary
Bokksu is the only Japanese snack box that sources directly from snack makers in Japan, so many of our artisanal products cannot be found anywhere else. Start your cultural journey through Japan by subscribing to Bokksu and receiving a curated box of premium Japanese snacks and teas delivered to your door every month.
They have two levels of subscription: the Tasting, which is smaller, and the one I have received, The Classic. Subscriptions are prepaid for one, three, six, or twelve months. For the Classic box they work out at $39 (around £30), $37, $35 , and $33 per month. As usual, they are priced in dollars, so GBP conversion is according to today’s exchange rate. Obviously this will vary, but it gives you some idea of cost.
Summer is a time of many festivals in Japan, and this month’s Bokksu celebrates some of the delicious flavours that can be sampled in festivals all round the country.
The booklet contains a guide to the goodies in the box, including an allergy list. There’s also a terrific culture guide, with key vocabulary and delicious descriptions of festival food.
Okukirishima Tea
This green tea is made from the best leaves available in the Kagoshima Prefecture and has a wonderfully complex flavour profile, making this tea a real treat!
Takoyaki Tei Corn Puffs
These crunchy corn snacks are based on the popular street snack consisting of deep fried batter balls with a delicious octopus centre and a deep savory sauce.
Butter Mochi Senbei, Handmade Ramune Candy, and Kakigori Shaved Ice Gummy
The crispy rice cracker has the flavour of butter mochi, a specialty of Akita Prefecture, a lovely twist on a traditional treat.
Bokksu frequently has special exclusive handmade hard candies, and this month’s variety is the famous and popular Japanese soda pop, ramune.
On a hot day a cold treat is just what you want, and these cute gummies are flavoured exactly like the popular shaved ice dessert.
Mocchan Dango Mochi
Dango Mochi are one of the most popular and recognisable Japanese snacks. They are delicious chewy sweet rice balls, and the three-coloured set are traditionally served on a skewer and seen at many festivals and events.
Chocolate Banana Langue Du Chat Cookie and Pudding a la Mode Sandwich Cookie
Chocolate and banana is a classic flavour combination, and the chocolate covered fruit is a popular festival snack in Japan. This cookie echoes these flavours in a delicious sandwich cookie, thin and crispy chocolate cookies sandwiched with banana cream.
Based on another delicious Japanese dessert, this sandwich cookie has chocolate biscuits with a creamy pudding filling with tiny pieces of dried orange and strawberry.
Dora Choco and Okayama Maple Cream Pancake
There’s a Japanese snack called dorayaki, which is two biscuits similar to pancakes with a read bean paste filling. These are versions of this, but instead of red bean, the two smaller pancakes are filled with chocolate cream, and the other with delicious maple. It’s like breakfast in a soft sandwich cookie!
Wasabi Potato Snack and Grilled Corn Uma Sen Rice Cracker
After all the creamy sweetness, a spicy hit of wasabi is perfect! The thin fried potato snacks are light and crispy, and the wasabi is just the right level of heat.
Grilled corn is a favourite portable meal in Japan, and these crunchy rice crackers capture the salty-sweet soy sauce and butter flavour perfectly.
