In this special article, I’ll be sharing my honest review of Sakuraco‘s tasty new snack box series “Taste of Kyushu” by ICHIGO Inc.
ICHIGO Inc. is the overseeing company responsible for some of Japan’s best snack box distributors, including Sakuraco and TokyoTreat. I had the privilege of trying Sakuraco’s new “Taste of Kyushu” box in return for an honest review.
So without further ado, let’s get into it!
Beautiful Presentation
The moment I unwrapped my Sakuraco snack box, I knew I was in for something special! The box was beautifully designed with a sturdy material that kept all the contents flawlessly protected upon delivery.
Opening up the box revealed something I didn’t expect. A beautiful portrait of Kyushu Island with a lovely thank-you message written on the back by Ayumi Chikamoto, the CEO of Sakuraco.
True to its name, the box features a sakura-inspired design with artworks of cherry blossom branches running across each side of the box.
Everything You Need To Know
One of the best features of Sakuraco’s Taste of Kyushu is this information magazine that provides a snack guide for all the items included in the box.
It includes nutritional information as well as product descriptions that explain what each item is, where it was sourced, and some of the cultural traditions behind its origins.
In addition to all that, you get an introduction to Kyushu’s major prefectures, such as Kumamoto, Nagasaki, and Fukuoka, where many of these snacks were first conceptualized and produced.
Sakuraco’s Taste of Kyushu!
Sakuraco’s Taste of Kyushu packs quite the haul! From savory rice crackers to sweet sponge cakes and soothing matcha green tea, it just about covers the entire flavor palette. Everything is ready to eat on the spot, and there is minimal preparation time involved.
Detailed Descriptions of Each Snack
If you’re a foreigner like myself who is still learning about Japanese culture and heritage, then chances are you won’t even know what you’re eating half the time.
That’s where the provided snack guide is an absolute Godsend! Items like the Issa Senbei is a special type of rice cracker that is coated in a Japanese seaweed known as green laver or aonori
(now that’s something I wouldn’t have known without the book!).
Given the sheer size of Kyushu Island itself, reading up on the precise prefectures and small village towns that some of these confectioneries originated from is really interesting too.
Everyone’s Favorite Bear!
The official mascot of Kumamoto prefecture, Kumamon, is a local favorite and now a globally recognized campaign character for the Kyushu region of Japan.
Representing the native black bears of Japan, the Kumamon brand is also an iconic distributor of authentic Japanese snacks and a prominent feature of Sakuraco’s Taste of Kyushu snack box.
Black Sesame Taiko is a gold award-winning snack from the 25th National Confectionery Expo and offers the savory taste of sesame seeds combined with the sweet glaze of white honey.
Chiran Ryokucha – Kagoshima’s Soothing Green Tea
Kagoshima is the southernmost prefecture of Kyushu island, the last stop before sailing across to the likes of Okinawa.
Having lived in Japan for over two years, I’ve had my fair share of green tea brands, but this one is certainly up there with the best!
For me, getting that perfect balance between sweet and bitter is key, and this Kagoshima blend achieves exactly that.
I highly recommend preparing one of these bad boys to sip alongside your Sakuraco snacks as they complement each other very well!
Wakasa Lacquer Chopsticks
Food and drink isn’t all that Sakuraco offers with this new box, but also these special Wakasa lacquer chopsticks with an aesthetic traditional design.
Made using traditional lacquer techniques originating from the town of Wakasa in Fukui prefecture, it typically takes up to a year to manufacture due to the 20-stage process involved in its pattern crafting.
The result is a high-quality pair of chopsticks with patterns that are impossible to diminish.
Instead of using stickers or paint for their patterns, these ones have their artworks engraved into the material.
They are also dishwasher safe which is a big plus!
Sweet Noodles?
Putting these wonderful chopsticks to good use, I tried this traditional Japanese dessert known as Kuzukiri.
Featuring Japanese noodles made from kudzu starch, it’s marinated with rich black honey and is served chill, making it a popular summer choice.
I’ll be honest, this one was a little strange for me, albeit mostly because of the texture which I’m not quite used to.
Nevertheless, it’s quite a nice and light treat that goes well with green tea, though the jelly-like texture may take some getting used to!
Final Thoughts of Sakuraco’s Taste of Kyushu…
If you’ve read this far, you don’t need a closing statement to know I was absolutely delighted with my experience trying Sakuraco’s Taste of Kyushu snack box. It was so much more than just gathering a bunch of snacks from a convenience store and throwing them into a box. Rather, it was a journey to the island of Kyushu.
As you taste each authentic flavor and read about their origins, you feel an enrichment of both the mind and the body as you work your way through this impeccably well-crafted Japanese confectionery experience!
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