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.
It’s 2022! And Bokksu is marking the new year with a selection of delicious treats from all over Japan.
The menu booklet shows you where all the different items come from, an extensive menu including allergy list, and some interesting information about Japanese new year traditions. There’s even a little language guide! So plenty to read while you’re trying out the goodies.
Yokohama Butter Sandwich Cookie, Black Thunder Shifuku no Butter, Fermented Butter Karol Custard Financier.
These little cookies are frequently bought as a souvenir when visiting Yokohama, as both package and cookie have lovely little illustrations of the city. The cookies are also delicious, a classic butter sandwich with a sweet cream filling contrasting nicely with the less sweet crispy cookie part.
Black Thunder chocolate bars are very popular in Japan, and are rice crisps and chocolate cookie pieces contained in a chocolate bar. This is a special luxury version that includes fermented butter from both Hokkaido and France.
Little Financier cakes are also a popular pastry that the Japanese have made their own. This one is soft, rich, and buttery, and is made with Shonan Gold, which is a citrus fruit which is only grown in the Kanazawa prefecture.
Yokohama Bashamichi Millefeuille: Raspberry, Black Sesame Okoshi
Millefeuille is another French pastry embraced in Japan, This version is filled with raspberry cream between its pastry layers.
This black sesame candy has been made for more than a thousand years, and while it doesn’t look the most appetising, the beautiful nutty flavour of the sesame combined with brown sugar and kinako (roasted soy powder) is out of this world.
Fujiya Nectar Peach Mochi, Shonan Gold Chocolate Crepe Roll
These beautiful mochi are intensely flavoured with peach nectar from Fujiya. The soft rice cake and marshmallow enclose a delicious peach jelly, and are a classic that’s always popular with Bokksu.
Crispy roll cookies can come in a variety of fillings, and these contain chocolate flavoured with Shonan Gold, another citrus fruit found only in Japan.
Akasaka Shishen Hanten Mochiya Potato Chips Mapo Chili Oil, Black Sesame Crispy Candy
You can tell from the packaging that these chips are going to be spicy! They are a special collaboration with a Chinese restaurant, and contain both spicy chilli and fiery Chinese peppercorns. Very tasty but good to have a cool drink on hand!
The black sesame candy is another sweet which goes back centuries. It has a hard crunchy outer shell and inside are flaky crumbly layers with the distinctive flavour of the black sesame.
Funwari Meijin Mochi Puffs: Hokkaido Cheese, Country Ma’am Choco Mamire
These amazing mochi puffs are always a treat to see in Bokksu! They are made by a special process that makes the rice incredibly light and crisp, so they Mel in your mouth. This version is flavoured with cheese from Hokkaido, which produces Japan’s finest dairy products.
The name of this mega-chocolate cookie literally means ‘lots of chocolate’, and it’s certainly accurate! The chocolate cookie is coated with more chocolate and contains chocolate chips too.
Organic Genmaicha Tea, Daruma Senbei Rice Crackers
This tea is a special blend containing both sencha leaves and roasted brown rice, and has an amazing nutty warming flavour.
Daruma are traditional Japanese dolls, which symbolise good luck, and often play a part in new year celebrations. The little crunchy rice crackers come in a mix of several different flavours, and are a wonderful savoury snack.
Pure Gummy Premium: Tochiotome Strawberry, Lucky Mayo Curry Okaki Rice Crackers
These are the luxury brand gummies from the candy company Pure, and they’re made with Tochiotome Strawberries, which are a speciality of the Tochigi prefecture. They also have a tangy sour coating for extra contrast with the fruity sweetness.
The Lucky Mayo crackers are indeed related to mayonnaise! They are flavoured with Japanese mayo and Japanese curry, which is a wonderful combination. Also the little giraffe on the package is adorable.
