The global pandemic has put international travel to a halt and, for the past two years, exploring different places and cultures has had to take a backseat. If you’re from Japan or have visited the Asian island nation before, you probably miss everything it has to offer. From ultramodern cities to the breathtaking countryside, incredibly friendly people, and some of the finest food on the planet, Japan simply has it all.
But did you know that you can experience a taste of Japan from the comfort of your home with a monthly subscription box that delivers premium snacks from The Land of the Rising Sun straight to your doorstep? Whether you want to treat yourself or surprise a loved one, our Japan Basket Snack Boxes are sure to delight anyone! Additional info found at snack from japan.
History of Japanese Snacks
In the Kamakura Period (1185 to 1333), a snack called hoshi-ii (meaning “dried meal”) was developed from cooked and dried rice. People would carry it in a small bag and eat it for a snack or rehydrate it with hot or cold water.
The final period of traditional Japan is known as the Tokugawa period, also called the Edo period, and lasted from 1603–1867. The country was politically stable and peaceful and experienced steady economic growth under military dictatorship. During this time, ordinary people enjoyed eating dagashi, a local confectionary made from grains and malt syrup. The word dagashi is a combination of the Japanese words ‘da’, meaning ‘futile’ or ‘negligible,’ and kashi, meaning ‘snacks’. This treat was named after its low price and known as “one coin confectionary,” or “ichimon gashi” in Japanese. Dagashi was created from disposed hoshi-ii and made from simple ingredients without the use of expensive refined sugar (which, at the time, was prohibited). Today, traditional dagashi is known as ‘the sweetness of dried persimmons,’ and refers to cheap snacks and candies which can be compared to American penny candy. In contrast to dagashi, “jogashi” were more premium-quality snacks.
Most of today’s snacks in Japan were developed after the Second World war and are either sweet candies or savoury snacks that come in a variety of shapes and flavours. They are usually wrapped in colourful packaging and often contain a small gift, especially enjoyed by small children.
How Do Japanese People Snack?
It’s no secret that Japanese people are incredibly healthy and eat a varied diet rich in seafood and vegetables full of vitamins and nutrients. But they also enjoy the occasional snack and indulging in treats is common across all age groups of the population.
“Otsumami,” “sakana,” or “shuko,” for example, are snacks that are typically consumed with alcoholic beverages. These snacks are usually salty and savoury, served in small portions, and similar (although larger) to tapas. Some examples include dried fish, nuts, potato chips, rice crackers, pretzels, and more. When shopping in stores, you will find designated otsumami sections that have these types of snacks readily available.
Another common type of snack is the sweet kind, including candies, cakes, and cookies. According to surveys, 25% of Japanese say they eat sweets every day, with 75% confirming they eat sweet snacks multiple times a week. Oftentimes, the Japanese enjoy eating sweet snacks while working or watching TV throughout the day.
Traditionally, Japanese people are accustomed to a snack time during the 8th period of the day, between 2 pm – 4 pm. This serves as a time to recharge for the rest of the day and is often used for tea time and snacking between lunch and dinner. Consuming sweets at this time, usually accompanied by tea, is commonplace.
Why Are Japanese Snacks So Popular?
Whether on TV, the internet or in real life, tourists and locals alike rave of Japan’s food and beverage scene, including the endless choices of sweet, savoury and umami snacks. Japan’s iconic candy and confectioneries come in unique flavours and shapes and are usually wrapped in brightly-coloured packaging that is synonymous with Japan’s pop culture.
For example, the famous chocolate brand Meiji produces certain fruit-flavoured gummy candies that are available in special flavours like grape, lemon peel, salty lychee, muscat, mandarin, strawberry, and seasonal, limited-edition flavours like dark cherry. Or the traditional rice cake ‘mochi,’ made from glutinous rice, is a bite-sized treat that is soft and chewy, and also available in a wide range of quirky flavours.
Another example is the fettuccine pasta-shaped gummy candies by Bourbon, made with real fruit juice, and available in sweet and sour flavours like peach, Italian grape, pineapple, kiwi, strawberry, white soda, mixed fruit soda, watermelon soda, and more.
But it’s not just the endless list of special flavours that makes Japanese treats unique. Many companies also offer DIY candy creations, like the brand Kracie, which sells the “Popin’ Cookin’ DIY candy kits.” The kit contains various ingredients that you simply mix with water and form into anything you desire, e.g. pizza, sushi, or a bento box. The same company also offers the brand Nerunerunerune, which has fun toppings in Cola, green apple, soda, grape, watermelon, and pineapple flavours.
For the health-conscious, several Japanese companies offer snacks with health and beauty benefits, like Kinosei candies that can alleviate a sore throat or improve one’s skin. The brand Kasugai Beauty Candy contains collagen or hyaluronic acid that have proven anti-ageing benefits. Other brands formulate their snacks with vitamin C or have lactic acid bacteria, like the UHA e-ma Throat Candy.
As you can see, Japan is at the forefront of the snack market, offering not just innovative flavours, interesting shapes or creative packaging, but also alternatives that attract the health and beauty-conscious market. In short: Japan has something for everyone.
Japanese Snack Subscription Boxes
Over the years, Japan has grown in popularity. In 2019 alone, more than 15 million international tourists visited Tokyo. It’s both rich in ancient culture and contemporary marvels and is known for its exceptional food. From matcha snacks, authentic ramen, to unique Kit-Kat flavours, Japan indulges the taste buds in a way you won’t experience anywhere else. That’s why Japanese subscription boxes have taken off, satisfying people’s craving for local snacks.
These subscription-box services deliver the goodies directly from Japan to your doorstep at a reasonable monthly price. The list of available providers is long and sifting through it can be daunting. Instead, we want to introduce you to Japan Basket, a new subscription box that has three options to choose from and offers delicious treats at an affordable rate. Whether you’re looking for savoury or sweet, mainstream or unique, Japan Basket offers you a wide selection of all the best local snacks that suit your distinct taste.
What is Japan Basket?
Created by a team of Japanese foodies, Japan Basket brings you all the unique and delicious Nippon snacks you’ve been missing. Our team hand-selects the tastiest sweets, savoury treats and special beverages and always delivers different ones for you to sample. The box is sent straight from Japan to wherever you are. Your box is reliably delivered and you get to try authentic Japanese snacks in the most convenient way: from the comfort of your own home.
Which Snacks Are Available in the Japan Basket?
Every month, we change the snacks we put into your basket and rotate our offerings to ensure you always get different treats. We always have different potato chips, candy, tea, chocolate, water, and soft drinks available. From caramel corn to Calbee chips, Umaibo, Baby Star Ramen, Pocky Almond Crush, Hashudo Potato crispy bacon, all kinds of KitKat flavours, and more, each month you can expect to be surprised with a new selection of some of Japan’s best snacks and beverages.
We change snack themes every month for you. SEE MORE
How does Japan Basket work?
Becoming a member of the Japan Basket club is easy. All you have to do is choose a subscription box and subscribe for your preferred delivery option on the website. Once you’ve signed up, we handpick fun and unique Japanese snacks according to your selected box type and pack them for you! Your box will ship directly from Japan and you can expect to conveniently receive it at home. Now all that’s left for you to do is indulge in authentic Japanese snacks and tag your experience with #japanbasket!
Always Unique
At Japan Basket, you never have to worry about getting the same products twice. Each monthly delivery comes with a new selection of treats that offer you an authentic taste of Japan. From potato chips, chocolates, candies, beverages, and a variety of unique snacks only found in Japan, our gift box is full of tasty surprises that will bring the far East into your home. Our boxes make an ideal gift or surprise for kids and adults alike and provide excellent value for money. To get started, simply sign up on our website for a monthly box delivery and choose one of the following options:
Premium Basket
Indulge your taste buds with some of the best snacks from Japan. The Premium Basket contains a well-balanced mix of 10-12 popular Japanese snacks. These include 2 savoury snacks, 2 x sweet snacks, as well as 4-7 x small sweet and salty snacks. The box weighs about 500g and ships for free directly from Japan. It always comes with a special present from the Japan Basket team and is available as a monthly, 3-month, 6-month, or yearly subscription. (Snack & Candy change every month)
Sign up for the Premium Basket CLICK HERE.
Surprise Basket
Go down memory lane of your time in Japan with an unexpected mix of treats. The Surprise Basket has a random selection of 10-12 of the best Japanese candies and snacks that are edgy, unique, and tasty. It includes 2 x savoury snacks, 2 x sweet snacks, 4-7 x small sweet and salty snacks. Packed with yummy goodies, this 500g box also ships for free directly from Japan and includes a surprise gift from the company. It’s available as a one-time shipment at $45.99, for 3 months at $129.97, as a 6-month subscription for a total of $251.94 or as a yearly plan for $492. (Snack & Candy change every month)
Sign up for the Surprise Basket CLICK HERE.
DIY Basket
Want to make sure you get your favourite snacks? Simply choose them yourself as part of the DIY Basket. Select 12-14 items from our extensive list of available treats, and pick 1 Japanese beverage, 1 KitKat or jelly candy, 2 savoury snacks, 2 sweet snacks, and 4-5 small sweet and savoury snacks. The DIY Basket is the biggest of all the available subscription boxes and weighs 1000g. It includes a surprise gift from the Japan Basket team and of course ships for free directly from Japan. Choose one of the following subscription options: a monthly plan for $57.99, a 3-month subscription for $167.97, 6 months for $329.94, or a 12-month plan for $636. (Snack & Candy change every month)
Sign up for the DIY Basket CLICK HERE.
Designed to bring an authentic taste of Japan into your home, Japan Basket curates a selection of sweet and savoury treats from the Land of the Rising Sun that brings you joy and expands your palate. Ready to book your monthly subscription box sent straight from Japan directly to your doorstep? Learn more about our company, team, and products on our website CLICK HERE
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