I stumbled across Bokksu when looking for Japanese subscription boxes that you can get filled with candy and ramen noodles. Sure, I like those things but I can go to my local store for that. I wanted something I couldn’t easily get my hands on. I could hop on a plane and fly to Tokyo – which is expensive and time consuming. Thank goodness for Bokksu.

Bokksu describes itself as a subscription service that “delivers original assortments of premium Japanese snacks and tea pairings on a monthly subscription basis. By becoming a subscriber to Bokksu, you will receive a box of hand-selected snacks each month. Every month also includes tea specifically chosen to complement that month’s flavors.”

A one month box is $39 but there is a tasting box for $19 if you want a more budget-friendly assortment. Each monthly box is based on a theme, and January’s theme is “maru”, which means circle. You can also browse past boxes for an up-close look at the type of goodies that have been sent.

Here’s a video from the company about their November 2016 theme “Japanese folklore.”

I ordered Bokksu shortly after visiting the site and I do not regret the purchase. Upon opening the box, the first item I encountered was a handwritten note from the founder, Danny Taing. It is small but an incredibly thoughtful thing to include in a customer’s first box.

Underneath the note was a large folded card offering information about the contents. I liked the information and you also get to learn something about Japanese culture. There were six types of snacks in the box along with three individual packets of tea (19 items total). Under each snack listed on the card, is information about the origins of the snack and it's ingredients. The list also includes a list of common allergies for each snack.

I was delighted to see how fresh each snack looked and how beautifully they were packaged. The best looking snack was the Ka No Michi cream cookie sandwiches. They provided four cookies in vanilla, matcha and cocoa flavors, which looked like mini waffles with cream filing in the middle.

The Kaisen Usukeshi Kasen snacks looked unappetizing at first. They remind me of flat gingerbread cookies but shrimp was listed as an ingredient. The Kaisen are probably the least visually appealing but I plan to try them anyway. In general, you can tell there is a lot of thought and care put into the monthly box selection.

Considering how hard these snacks are to purchase outside of Japan, $39 for the amount of product included is a good deal. (Shipping is free within the U.S.)

My positive review of Bokksu is based on presentation, quality, and uniqueness. I do not want to rate the box based on taste, because these snacks are different from what I am accustomed to eating. It is more important that I get to try new items and bring a little bit of Japan to my door step. Hopefully in the future, Bokksu will offer customers the option to reorder favorite snacks.

If you are a foodie with an adventurous personality (with limited funds, and no time to travel to Japan), give Bokksu a try. Over the course of this month I will be cherishing each bite, until my next box arrives.