Bokksu: An honest review of Authentic Japanese Snacks Subscription Box
If you’re reading this article, you’ve unearthed the joy of convenient snacking delivered straight to your door. But before you go jumping on that paid subscription bandwagon, keep reading to find out if Bokksu is the right one for you.
What is Bokksu?
You’ve probably heard of subscription magazines but what are subscription boxes? Welcome to the wonderful world of subscription boxes where a collection of all your favorite items are packaged together and conveniently delivered right to you. We mention Curious Tea in our article: Where can I buy Japanese Green Tea online? as an option for a premium tea subscription box.
With so many different types of subscription boxes to choose from, Bokksu joins the list of leaders in curating premium Japanese snack subscription boxes for customers, delivering to over 70 countries worldwide.
Where is Bokksu located?
With the warehouse located and subscription boxes packed in Japan, Bokksu oversees operations from its head office based New York, US.
Our mission at Bokksu is to empower Japan’s traditional snackmakers by sharing their authentic food and stories with the world.
Bokksu was created by founder Danny Taing in 2015 and has since grown to a modest team of more than ten people, filling the role to source delicious snacks throughout Japan. Like many travellers before him, Bokksu all began with a trip to Japan.
Upon his return back to the US, Danny found that many of the amazing snacks that he’d brought back with him from Japan could not be found in his home country. As a fellow foreign visitor, I also shared the same frustrations. And so Bokksu was born, based on the mutual love for Japanese snacks and bringing the taste of local culture to people all around the globe. In his own words, “our mission at Bokksu is to empower Japan’s traditional snackmakers by sharing their authentic food and stories with the world”.
Where are the Japanese snacks in Bokksu sourced from?
The creative team at Bokksu carefully curate and thoughtfully craft each box of snacks sourced from local authentic snackmakers throughout Japan. This means that with every Bokksu snack box, you’re also being invited to a new cultural experience each time and learning more about the traditional tastes of Japan, from some family-owned businesses dating back centuries old.
Each monthly subscription boxed is themed with snacks coming from all parts of Japan. Past boxes have seen snacks come from regions including: Tokyo, Osaka, Okinawa, Okayama, Gunma, Ehime, Niigata, Hokkaido, Kagoshima, Fukuoka, Ibaraki and Nagasaki, just to name a few.
It’s like you’ve just taken your tastebuds on a trip to Japan! And that’s exactly what Bokksu intended, “we source our snacks in Japan from a mix of local and well-known makers, and are committed to building lasting partnerships with these makers to bring our members the best Japanese snacks available.”
We source our snacks in Japan from a mix of local and well-known makers, and are committed to building lasting partnerships with these makers to bring our members the best Japanese snacks available.
How is Bokksu different from other Japanese snack subscription boxes?
The key component of the Bokksu philosophy is finding and nurturing long-lasting partnerships with traditional and local Japanese snackmakers that have been around for a long time. The result is getting authentic snacks and experiencing the actual taste that is usually only made accessible to Japanese locals.
You may notice that other Japanese snack subscription boxes carry popular Japanese snacks that are mass-produced and can be found in Asian supermarkets. What sets Bokksu apart, are the flavors unique to the particular Japanese region that the snacks are sourced from, accompanied by a complementary pairing of Japanese green tea. As a big fan of foods that pair well with Japanese green tea, it certainly takes afternoon tea time to whole new level.
Bokksu also offers a unique Happiness Guarantee that guarantees your satisfaction with every subscription box purchased. Talk about great customer service! Whether you have a damaged box, items missing or anything else in between, the team at Bokksu are only an email away and happy to resolve your concerns. There is a live chat service available or you can contact them via email at hello@bokksu.com
What comes in a Bokksu subscription box?
Every Bokksu subscription box contains different items each themed month and includes:
- 20-24 Japanese sweet and savory snacks, confectionary and a tea pairing.
- A 16-page Culture Guide Magazine detailing the products’ origin, flavors and common allergens.
With the subscription, you have the option to pause or cancel any time.
There are two types of Bokksu boxes. The first time you subscribe, you will receive your First Bokksu subscription box, themed as the Seasons of Japan. You will receive the products of this box regardless of the current theme box of month.
Your First Bokksu - Seasons of Japan
You will find the following traditional and modern snacks in your Seasons of Japan first Bokksu box, along with a complementary tea pairing:
- Koikeya Minit’s Stick Potato: Suppa Mucho Plum
- White Strawberry
- Mocchan Dango Mochi
- Tottori 20th Century Pear Fromage Biscuit
- Hand-made Yuzu Sake Candy
- Seaweed Tempura: Setouchi Sudachi Citrus Flavor
- Edamame Senbei
- Dondon Yaki
- Hokkaido Red Bean Doughnuts
- Black Sesame Taiko: Kumamon Design
- Matcha Chocolate Stick Cake
- Aomori Apple Caramel Yakkoi Sable
- Uni Rice Cracker
- Puku Puku Tai: Chocolate
- Funwari Meijin Mochi Puffs
- Organic Genmaicha Tea
Monthly Themed Boxes
Every month after your first Bokksu, you will receive a box that has been curated with themes based on flavor pairings, different festivals, prefectures and holidays for a real taste of Japan.
You can see what’s in store for the current month’s box and past themed boxes online.
Can past Bokksu themed boxes be purchased?
No. Unfortunately, Bokksu does not carry inventory at their warehouse. However, if there have been overstocked products from the previous month’s boxes, you may find these available for purchase on their online selling platform – Bokksu Market. Products from Seasons of Japan are continually available for purchase on Bokksu Market.
How much does Bokksu cost?
There are several options for making a Bokksu purchase which range from $49.95 to $479.40 with free shipping on subscriptions.
A monthly subscription is priced at $49.95 per box. A 3-monthly subscription is an upfront total of $134.85, a 6-monthly subscription is an upfront cost of $257.70 and an annual subscription of 12 months is an upfront cost of $479.40
Each ongoing subscription is priced to save you at least $15.00
Monthly
$49.95 per box- Free shipping
6-Monthly
$42.95 per box- Savings: $42.00
- Free shipping
12-Monthly
$39.95 per box- Savings: $120.00
- Free shipping
The best features of Bokksu
With a slowly increasing market for online subscriptions, the competition has seemed to pick up for Japanese snacks. Other subscription boxes like Sakura Co, Tokyo Treat and Japan Crate are giving Bokksu a run for their money and as a potential returning customer, you’ll want to know if Bokksu is right for you. Here are the best features of Bokksu.
1. Artisanal and traditional snacks in Japan
Sure, you’re paying top dollar for Japanese snacks but they’re not just any snacks. The number one reason Bokksu stands out from the crowd is their ability to directly source from real local snackmakers throughout Japan, some of whom have been around for more than 200 years!
This guarantees customers get an authentic taste that you would only usually find in Japan. With this experience on offer, it’s the next best thing to travelling to Japan.
2. Highest reviewed Japanese snack subscription box
The good, the bad and the ugly. Bokksu currently has over 16,000+ certified reviews online for you to check out. Looking for honest feedback, experience or just general chit chat about Bokksu? There is also a private Facebook group called Bokksu Unboxed you can join where people post recent findings and dealings with Bokksu online. The group is operated by Bokksu with already more than 4.5K members.
3. Great present for a unique gifting experience
Bokksu ticks all the right boxes when it comes to gifting. Delivery to door, check. Uniqueness, double check. Gift voucher or gift box option, check. With Bokksu, you’re not just stuck with the option to send a one-off box to that special someone. Bokksu also has gift vouchers available as the ultimate gift of choice for subscription options.
Choose from $50, $150, $300, or $500 valued gift vouchers that can also be used on Bokksu Market. Gift cards are delivered by email only with no additional processing fees and no expiry date! You can even send it with your very own personalized gift message.
4. Enjoy an authentic cultural experience
The creative team at Bokksu work hard to bring you an authentic cultural experience through their detailed Culture Guide Magazine which is delivered with every monthly box.
Discover where your snacks come from with the Culture Guide Magazine that provides information on each product’s origin, flavor profile, common allergens and craftsmanship stories.
One of the most intriguing things about Bokksu are the stories told and the history behind family-owned businesses that have allowed years of tradition to now be shared around the globe. The official Bokksu Facebook page talks more about the first in their docuseries Snack Bites, featuring 5 makers and the history of their products.
Meet the Makers at Bokksu: an insight into these 5 family-owned businesses, an informative initiative started by Bokksu to help support cultural sustainability. From the uppermost region of Japan in Hokkaido to the closer locality of Tokyo, you can also directly purchase and taste these delicious treats yourself after watching each video. There are currently 4 Maker snack experiences available for purchase:
- Honma Anpan: Honma Gift Box – Tsukisamu Anpan Sampler (5 pieces, 5 flavors) $15.00
- Senbei Lab: Senbei Lab Gift Box – Deluxe Rice Crackers (20 pieces, 8 flavors) $20.00
- Daimonji Ame Honpo: Daimonji Ame Honpo Handmade Candy Gift Box (12 bags, 6 flavors) $35.00
- Fuubian: Fuubian Gift Box – Langue De Chat Cookies (20 pieces, 4 flavors) $40.00
What is Bokksu Market?
It’s true that you may only get one or two of a snack in each box but the good thing is that these will still be available for purchase for a limited time from Bokksu Market.
You can also purchase whole month boxes from the last three months, including the current theme box and Seasons of Japan box.
Looking for other products that you can only buy direct from Japan? Here’s a list of some of the things you can get from Bokksu Market:
- Limited edition snack collections
- Anime themed snacks and collection packs
- Gift boxes
- Special edition boxes
- Homewares
- Premium Japanese tea selection
As most products are always changing and not hoarded in warehouses, you’ll find some on sale for a bargain. Plus there is free shipping on all orders over $199!
Is Bokksu good?
Everybody loves food, that’s just a fact. As a result, someone somewhere brought it to the next level and introduced the innovative product of subscription boxes – with food. Bokksu took it a step further and found a gap in the market to bring the people what they were craving for – traditional and authentic Japanese snacks. For this very reason, Bokksu is not just good, it’s great!
Unfortunately, there are certain limitations when it comes to food and travel. Bokksu ships to more than 70 countries worldwide and as a customer, it’s only natural to hope that your products arrive undamaged but most important of all, edible. We take a look at what things could and have gone wrong with Bokksu.
Mold concerns
Most traditional Japanese snacks, especially handmade confectionary, do not contain a lot of preservatives, if any. It’s understandable if you’re eating these fresh or keeping them stored in a fairly controlled environment to prevent food spoilage.
Food spoilage occurs when optimum environmental conditions are not maintained for storage and the nature of the food products allows certain microorganisms like mold to grow. Bokksu subscribers found that the following factors likely contributed to mold concerns in some product items:
- Delivery time
- Product item
- Temperature fluctuations
Delivery time
Themed subscription boxes are curated to feature snacks on a monthly basis. A fairly good indicator that your box is arriving in a timely manner would be receiving it within that same month. Some Bokksu subscribers unfortunately have been receiving their themed boxes outside the month, meaning shipping times are less than optimal.
Catering to provide delivery to more than 70 countries worldwide is a big call, considering there is currently only one central warehouse, based in Japan. Since Bokksu has been providing a great service from 2015, why is delivery time such an issue now? New subscribers may not realised but loyal members have definitely noticed delayed shipments post covid.
So, what does this mean for customers now? Whilst some people may not be bothered with waiting an extra couple of weeks, delayed shipments in unknown storage conditions and have adverse effects on food quality and freshness.
Product item
You could say that finding one or two of the same product items with mold may be pure coincidence but when multiple cases come forward with the same issue, it’s most likely there is a legitimate cause for concern.
Each monthly themed subscription box is curated to contain new and different items. The only box that delivers the same items are products from the the Seasons of Japan box. Some subscribers found that the Hokkaido Red Bean Doughnuts were covered in mold. Other reports made were subscribers finding black mold spores on the Shinshu Apple Rabbit Manju which arrived in the Bokksu Birthday themed box, released in May 2021 of this year.
Certain traditional Japanese confectionaries are made with ingredients that are more susceptible to mold if not kept under proper storage conditions. Ideally, these types of authentic snacks, like the Shinshu Apple Rabbit Manju for example, were traditionally made and intended to be shelf-stable inside of Japan.
Temperature fluctuations
All product items come sealed in individual packages. This is great from a hygiene point of view but it also creates the perfect environment for mold growth in warmer and temperatures or humid seasons. Delivery from the cooler months in Japan to countries also experiencing cooler weather is the ideal environment to minimize and prevent fast mold growth.
The problem, as some subscribers have noted, is the condensation accumulating in individual packets which is enough for mold to form.
What can be improved?
Considering all factors involved and the basic principles of food science, Bokksu could improve on the following:
- Reduce condensation and moisture content in individual product packets
- Reassess shelf life suitability of certain traditional snacks
- Be transparent, provide detailed labelling information for each product including expiry dates
Here are some tips on what you can also do at home to minimise mold in Bokksu snacks:
- Immediately store food products in a dry, cool area
- Keep foods likely to grow mold, such as wagashi, mochi or soft textured snacks refrigerated
- Eat your snacks as soon as possible, due to unknown storage conditions during shipment your food may not have been kept in an optimum environment
Customer service
How good is Bokksu at addressing your concerns? If you have any issues or questions you can email Bokksu at hello@bokksu.com, their response time can vary but I had my enquiry answered within one hour which I think is great!
For damaged goods, some subscribers have received store credit. Following more serious concerns like mold however, the issue has apparently been escalated to the sourcing team to resolve the issue.
How does Bokksu compensate you?
Depending on the severity of the issue, subscribers have reported receiving store credits of $2.00 per damaged item rather than a complete replacement. According to sources, this amount has since increased to $4.00 per slightly damaged item, as of 3 June 2021. Whilst Bokksu does take into consideration credit as compensation, it is a little disappointing not to receive the themed food product for that month, particularly when subscribers are paying for the experience.
Food labelling and allergen information
In many countries, food labelling is mandatory, mainly for public health and safety reasons. This usually includes a full list of ingredients which also identifies additives, preservatives, colors, flavors and of course allergens. Because each country has their own legislative requirements for what constitutes a declared food allergen, it’s important to list down all ingredients so that the consumer can easily make an informed decision.
One of the drawbacks here is that the snacks from Bokksu are individually packed with minimal food labelling, no complete ingredients lists or descriptions are not in English and expiry dates are not always provided. In my honest opinion, it would be good to consider at least adding the full list of ingredients into the Culture Guide Magazine just like a lot of assorted chocolate boxes do for various flavors.
Shipping delays and Japan Post suspensions
Bokksu states that shipping of subscription boxes via international shipping can typically take 1-3 weeks to arrive from the shipment date and possibly up to 4 weeks depending on postal service delays.
With COVID affecting global shipments in general, more subscribers are now experiencing significant delays of 6 weeks and beyond depending on their location, with a subscriber reporting their shipment took 2 months to arrive. At the moment, Bokksu do include free standard shipping with their subscriptions and to date, there is no current online option for express shipping (e.g. DHL Express).
Other changes to shipments continuing to affect individual countries include Japan Post suspensions due to reduced flights, COVID restrictions and shipments during the holiday season. On this occasion, subscribers can contact Bokkus directly to confirm if an upgraded shipping method can be considered. Take note that this option is only offered for a limited time and for an additional cost per box.
VAT on imports from outside the European Union (EU)
As of 1 July 2021, the new European Union (EU) VAT import rules came into effect. What does this mean for Bokksu customers purchasing e-commerce goods from a non-European Union country? It means that you will be liable to Customs and Excise Duty as well as VAT payments. Bokksu deliveries will be held by Customs at entry, pending the payment of duty and tax.
How much VAT will I have to pay on an EU import for my Bokksu delivery?
Delivery charges for custom duty is calculated as a percentage of the customs value of the goods. The Import VAT is calculated as a percentage of the taxable amount. Bokksu subscribers in Europe have reported paying anywhere from €30 to €39 in VAT after July 2021.
Conclusion: my honest review of Bokksu
In summary, would I purchase Bokksu? Yes, I probably would. Would I pay something like $44.95 for a three month trial period? Maybe. But could I justify pre-paying almost $500 for a whole year? Probably not.
And why is this? There are a couple of reasons, good and not so great. Like many others, I love the idea of trying Japanese snacks and the fact that Bokksu sources authentic and traditional products from local snackmakers, completely won me over. This is where Bokksu really differentiates itself from existing competition.
But that’s probably where the novelty ends for me, unfortunately. I happen to have an academic background in food science and experience in public health enforcement so issues like food spoilage, including mold, are not things I take lightly. Whilst I’m sure Bokksu are doing their utmost to investigate and rectify this issue, the chance of finding mold in my food is not appealing. This again may be due to sourcing snacks a little too traditional that don’t seem to survive long distances all too well. On the other hand, Bokksu could also consider offering additional shipping methods to hasten delivery.
This is why I’m pleased to report that the other distinguishing feature of Bokksu, is Bokksu Market where I am able to purchase Gift Box Collections of traditional, local snacks and teas designed a bit better to withstand the ups and downs of shipment.
Whilst I live in Australia and do not have to pay any sort of additional VAT import tax on top of the purchase price, customers in Europe are not so lucky. Bokksu have responded that they are currently looking into the best solution for this situation, however, as of late it appears that this has attributed to a number of subscription cancellations following 1 July 2021.
Have you had a good experience with Bokksu? Let us know!