As someone who loves discovering new snacks from around the world, I was immediately intrigued when I first learned about Bokksu. This Japanese snack subscription service offers a unique opportunity to try rare treats and teas directly sourced from small businesses in Japan.
But is Bokksu worth the relatively high subscription cost? After testing out the service myself over the past 6 months, I‘m breaking down everything you need to know in this comprehensive Bokksu review.
A Deeper Look At Bokksu‘s Origins
Before starting Bokksu in 2016, founder Danny Taing took a fateful trip to Japan that sparked an obsession for the country‘s diverse savory and sweet snacks. As an avid foodie, he was amazed by all of the exotic flavors and textures found in Tokyo‘s snack aisles that simply didn‘t exist back home.
Once back in NYC, Danny was craving standouts like seaweed tempura chips and matcha chocolate bars but had no luck finding them at specialty grocery stores. That‘s when he recognized a major gap in the market – these small-batch treats from family-owned shops weren‘t available outside of Japan.
Armed with a vision of helping amazing Japanese snack makers reach international fans and spread joy through food, Danny left his job and launched Bokksu. He self-funded the first few months of sourcing and building subscription box inventory.
Fast forward 6 years later, and Bokksu now partners with over 100 beloved snack brands and counting. Beyond subscriptions, the shop has an online marketplace with the most popular products from past boxes.
While keeping prices accessible has been a challenge given Bokksu‘s commitment to quality over quantity, Danny shared that member happiness is the top priority. Exciting collaborations and expanding staff in Tokyo are just part of the growth plans for 2024.
Here‘s What I Love About Bokksu
After being a subscriber for several months now, there are many standout reasons why I think Bokksu is worth the splurge:
1.exposure to rare, seasonal treats not sold elsewhere – From limited-batch Sakura mochi to regional favorities like yuzu peppermint sticks, over 75% of what I‘ve tried I can‘t even find recipes for online because they aren‘t sold outside of Japan.
2. getting to support small businesses – Learning each snack maker‘s origin story makes trying new treats even more fun. I loved discovering Hokkaido‘s famous milk caramels by a 93-year-old company passed down generations!
3.high-quality and safety standards – Bokksu sets limits on artificial colors & flavors, MSG, allergens for truly better-for-you treats. I also noticed sleek, minimal packaging that‘s easy to recycle or reuse.
4.thinking outside the box with themes – Getting 19 items from Kyushu region farmers focused on tea pairings one month then a traditional New Year‘s celebration box the next keeps things exciting.
5.thoughtful customization – I appreciate getting an even split of sweet vs salty and traditional vs innovative. Plus they factor in food allergies, dislikes upon request.
6.exceptional customer service – The NY and Tokyo teams have gone above and beyond in response time and resolving any issues promptly. It‘s clear this passion project is personal.
7.savings for multi-month commitment – While month-to-month works for some people, even more worthwhile deals pop up the longer you subscribe and boxes effectively end up 40% off!
Of course, Bokksu won‘t be the right fit for everyone depending on your budget and preferences. But in terms of unique value combined with conveyance of culture, it nails the experience.
Next, let‘s get into the nitty gritty details…
Inside the Bokksu Box: What‘s Included?
Each monthly Bokksu box comes with 20 to 22 total treats and a charming booklet – aka your ticket to discovering what‘s trending in Japanese snack culture!
The beautifully photographed English guide provides context on that month’s curation theme, highlights regional flavors to watch, and breaks down exactly what you‘ll be trying complete with allergen warnings:
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8-10 savory snacks – potato chips, rice crackers, Japanese KitKats (!), mochi, dried fruit, nuts, seaweed and more
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10-12 sweet snacks – Pocky, Hi-Chew candy, traditional wagashi, bakeable sweets, chocolate, gummy candy, dessert bars and more
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1 high-quality tea – small-batch green, black, hojicha, genmaicha, oolong or herbal blend to perfectly pair with your snacks
Everything arrives in a stunning culture-inspired gift box with geometric patterns or tranquil nature scenes straight from Japan. Definitely hold onto these boxes to reuse or repurpose creatively!
I‘m obsessed with the diversity found across boxes, even never seeing the same exact items twice. Just a sample of my new favorite treats discovered recently:
Savory
- Lightly salted edamame soybeans
- Miso butter cashew nuts
- Truffle potato sticks
- Green tea yogurt mini rice cakes
- Triple cheese Langue de Chat crackers
Sweet
- Strawberry maple leaf Pocky
- Tropical freeze-dried pineapple slices
- Yukari ube and black sesame mochi cubes
- Pear chocolate Langue de Chat mini cookies
- Yuzu sherbet KitKats
Tea Selection
- Hojicha roasted green tea
- Cherry blossom sencha loose leaf
- Genmaicha green tea with roasted rice
Next, let’s compare Bokksu to other leading snack subscription boxes…
How Bokksu Compares to Alternatives
With the rise in popularity of subscription boxes, Bokksu faces competition from plenty of snack services focused domestically or internationally. Here‘s how 5 alternatives stack up:
| Box | # of Items | Starting Price | Top Perks | Things I Don‘t Love |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bokksu | 20+ | $40/month | Rare Japanese favorites, small biz support, rich culture | No customization beyond allergies, expensive shipping for some |
| TokyoTreat | 15-20 | $30/month | Diverse candy and snacks, anime theming, affordable | Lacks depth/context, prominence of artificial ingredients |
| Japan Crate | 10 | $35/month | Cutesy packaging, decent candy variety | Small quantities, all sweet |
| MunchPak | 10+ | $19.95/month | Mass appeal snacks, wide global regions, subscriptions start at just 1 month | No ripe fruit/items requiring refrigeration is a downside |
| Universal Yums | 5+ | $15.99/month | Spotlight one country deeply, eco-friendly, free shipping | Tiny portions makes sharing tough, sweet focus |
| Try Treats | 15+ | $29/month | Build a box by selecting countries, accommodation of all diets | Complex customization required (can’t purely curate for you) |
As this comparison shows, Bokksu is in a league of its own when it comes to an authentic, well-balanced sampling paired with a rich experience – but it comes at a cost. For cheaper monthly plans focused heavily on just sweets in cutesy packaging, Japan Crate or TokyoTreat may suffice your cravings.
However, none immerse you into today‘s Japanese food culture quite like Bokksu with hard-to-find flavors and fascinating backstories that keep me feeling connected. If what‘s inside feels worth $40+ to you, it‘s by far superior.
Speaking of cost, let‘s break down pricing, discounts and ways to save…
Here‘s What Bokksu Costs:
Unlike most subscription box services nowadays, Bokksu only offers one main monthly box option rather than tiers focused on snacks, candy or other categories.
The Classic Bokksu Box is $50/month on a flexible month-to-month plan where you can skip or cancel anytime. To save up to $10/month, you can prepay for 3 months ($45/month), 6 month ($43/month) or 12 months ($40/month) upfront.
While that base rate is higher than competitors, you get what you pay for with double the volume of rare, gourmet-quality snacks fit for a Japanese department store. Bokksu Express packages also come beautifully gift wrapped and include a bonus treat.
For additional savings as a subscriber, keep an eye out for recurring promo offers like these:
- Share your unique referral code to earn Bokksu account credit for every friend who signs up
- Take advantage of limited-time subscriber gifts with purchase incentives
- Leverage sitewide sales, especially around the holidays
- Follow @bokksu on Instagram for surprise giveaways
First-timers can also save 15% off their first box with email sign up. And while not advertised, reaching out to customer service led to an introductory discount for me as well.
Compared to crafting your own Japanese snack box through a marketplace like eBay or Amazon, the curation expertise, product freshness and premium tea pairing make Bokksu‘s $40-50 price point justifiable.
Customer Reviews: The Good and Bad
Scouring YouTube unboxings and subreddit threads, Bokksu earns overwhelmingly positive praise for helping customers discover rarely seen snacks and mastering monthly theme creativity.
Fans rave about exceptional customer service, high-quality packaging, attentive allergy and preference accommodations, as well as fair transparent pricing. Even the hassle of customs/import taxes is eliminated as costs are built into shipping.
The most common complaints revolve around 3 factors:
1. Missing items – This is typically remedied with prompt Replace & Reship if supplies allow, especially as COVID continues to strain global supply chains
2.repeats – With 100+ rotating partners there‘s bound to be occasional overlaps quarterly, but Bokksu seems to limit recurrence based on my experience
3.cost – Between currency conversion, sourcing small-batch items and direct from Japan shipping, there’s certainly substantial costs that they minimize best they can. But market-rate given competitors starts around $30.
Speaking from firsthand experience, their customer service deserves recognition for responding quickly and going the extra mile to make subscribers happy. Out of over 20 boxes so far, I‘ve only had 1 be delivered late after an incorrect address typo on my end!
Is Bokksu Worth It? My Final Verdict
After months of being a subscriber and trying dozens of flavors not available stateside, I wholeheartedly think Bokksu is worth the occasional splurge.
The unrivaled authenticity, surprise factor and quality behind both snacks and branding has me looking forward to each month’s arrival. Learning just a snippet of the storied snack legacies spanning decades and getting to be part of sustaining beloved small businesses also feels special.
While I don‘t know if my bank account can sustain a full year at $40-$50 every month, I see myself keeping it as an affordable quarterly treat. The savory selections in particular have been unexpectedly amazing paired with my morning coffee!
Here‘s a pro tip: If able, go halfsies with a fellow snack-loving friend nearby and alternate who gets first box dibs monthly. Not only do you save some dollars, but you double your prospects of discovering new tasty treasures!
No matter what subscription duration or frequency fits your budget best, Bokksu transports you to the vibrant world of Japanese snack culture each month – and that‘s an experience you simply can‘t put a price on.
Want to give Bokksu a whirl yourself? Head here to get started and maybe we’ll be munching on the same snacks next month!
