Hala Tashkandi

As the world moves further into the zettabyte era, online shopping is getting more popular than ever. For some, the appeal of having all your purchases delivered right to you at the press of a button is just too great a convenience to pass up.

But what about customers who still want to shop around, or sample the goods before they buy? The solution presents itself easily enough: subscription boxes.

Subscription boxes as a concept was born in 2004 as a way for indie crafters, musicians and artists to share their work with the world. Nowadays, the model has evolved to become part of almost every other commercial industry.

From beauty products to apparel to food items and even entertainment packages, it’s all available via subscription box, with everyone from big corporations such as Disney, Target and Walmart to smaller indie businesses across the world offering the service.

Sarah Al-Ali, a resident of Sharjah in the UAE, told Arab News that subscription boxes are her biggest weakness; she’s subscribed to four, and thinks she might even subscribe to more in the future.

“They’re so convenient, the ones I’ve chosen always have the most amazing items to try, and I’ve found some of my favorite brands through sub boxes. I feel like I’ve saved so much money by subscribing!”

Al-Ali is not alone in this. The subscription box industry is positively booming. According to Forbes magazine, the industry grew by an incredible 890 percent between 2014 and 2018.

Forbes also estimates that there were 3,500 subscription box services as of October of last year, an increase of 40 percent from the year before, and the industry is worth a cool $2.6 billion altogether.

However, a particular niche of subscription box seems to be gaining popularity across the world, and in particular with fans of anime and manga: Japanese snack boxes.

Snack culture is huge in Japan, with the country being famous for its uniquely flavored, often bizarre-looking and tasting snacks. From wasabi-flavored chips to soy sauce and butter potato sticks, to matcha-flavored Kit-Kat bars, the number of snacks available in Japan could overwhelm even the most intrepid of food-lovers.

Unfortunately for most Japan enthusiasts, most of these snacks are either only available in Japan itself or extremely difficult to find outside the country.

To that end, several companies have begun to offer Japanese snack subscription boxes, with various sizes and types of snacks on offer. Some have even expanded their services to include beauty items, toys, and kitchenware.

Companies such as Japan Crate and Tokyo Treat focus mainly on cheaper snacks, available in most Japanese convenience stores. 

Depending on your subscription level (and essentially how much you’ve shelled out for your box) you might get a small selection of a few candies and chips, or you might get a month’s worth of snacks, as well as collectibles, toys and, in some cases, a seasonal soft drink.

Usually, these snacks will be branded with characters from popular anime or featured in pop culture or ads that have been popularized outside of Japan. Japan Crate’s boxes will set you back between $12-35 a month for 5-20 items, while Tokyo Treat runs between $22-32 a month for 12-17 items.

There are other companies, such as Bokksu and Snakku, which offer higher-quality snack options unique to Japan, usually hand-crafted and selected much more carefully.

Although they come with a higher price tag (around $38 for either box), both the snacks and their packaging are more traditional and refined. Bokksu even offers tea pairings with every box, while Snakku’s packages come in reusable washi furoshiki, traditional Japanese cloth for wrapping.

As great an idea as it may seem, the rather steep prices have caused more than one subscriber to consider whether it is worth paying for a Japanese snack subscription.

Tofugu, a Japanese language learning and cultural website, pointed out in their review of Japan Crate that while the element of surprise can be enjoyable, as well as the opportunity to try snacks you might not have necessarily picked for yourself, the retail cost of the items is significantly lower than the price you’re paying for the subscription.

However, Rakan Al-Jaleel, a long-time subscriber to Tokyo Treat in Riyadh, says that he doesn’t mind the fact that the cost of the box is higher than the cost of the items, as the convenience and accessibility give him opportunities he wouldn’t have otherwise.

“After all, when you think about it, every box I’ve purchased so far has still been cheaper than the cost of a trip to Japan. Maybe someday I’ll be able to visit and pick my own snacks, but that day is probably far off. At least I can get a taste of Japan this way, even if it is a small one,” he said.