TokyoTreat 2024 New Year Edition Review: The Best Japanese Candy And Snack Box So Far

How do otakus celebrate the new year?

We sure do have plenty of ways. While some adulting otakus would go to Japan, others would rather stay home and use the holidays to finish a series or a game.

But if you want to get the best of both worlds, there surely is a quick solution.

We got this TokyoTreat Box New Year's Edition a few days before Christmas and are so glad we did. Now, there's no need to get on a plane to have a taste of Akiba, especially if you feel like there's a lot of work or chores that need finishing.

We know it's a bit late to try this hack, but you can still order your TokyoTreat Box as a gift to friends or yourself.

In this article, our team will discuss why a Tokyo Treat Box is worth the money. We will also rank the curated snacks, show you a video we took of its unboxing, and let you know what we think about the entire package!

Why Order A Tokyo Treat Box

First, we thought that it was all about Japanese food treats. But there's more to it if you read the colorful brochure. TokyoTreat also features every curated snack in this magazine, and we recommend reading each page before munching on them.

Extra Goodies With TokyoTreat Streak

Unlike other subscriptions, TokyoTreat is quite a generous brand to loyal subscribers. The brochure's front page displays a QR code to scan so you can claim your streak. Future box issues will have this, and it's a good motivation to spend your extra otaku budget as you will earn more rewards as your streak grows.

There's also a small flier that lets you earn more KitKat packs.

Get A Chance To Be Featured

While not all would love to join another community, a few social media thrivers might want to be featured in the next issue of TokyoTreat by becoming a member of their forum and sharing your best selfie with the box subscription. It's too bad we already ate ours before we saw this.

TokyoTreat January 2024 Contest

By uploading a photo of you showing the spirit of New Year along with the #TokyoTreat Box before February 25th, you can win a Demon Slayer Tamagochi and three months of free TokyoTreat subscription. Four lucky runners will win a Demon Slayer Cable Bite and a month of free subscription. We'll definitely join in!

Fun Facts Like The Daruma Drama

As antique collectors, this page caught our eye. We have an old Daruma in our stockroom, and we've been wondering why the other eye has been empty all this time. The instructions said you must color the left blank eye after making a New Year's wish or goal. Once you reach this goal, you must paint the right blank eye.

Apart from the Daruma Drama, the issue also featured ways to celebrate New Year like a local, the Fukubukuro Fortune, and the Japanese events you might want to be part of next New Year. 

Hard Collectible and Reusable Box

All our old TokyoTreat boxes are neatly stacked in our collection room, containing important trinkets and Pokémon cards. They are just too beautiful to throw away. The last one came in dirty (the courier's fault), but we're glad that the box is sturdy and came without damage. Our goodies are safe and sound inside!

Ranking The Snacks

It's time for a review! Our team has experience purchasing Japanese snacks through a proxy service, so we know the country's various tastes. Thus, we held back from our expectations and wore our open-minded taste buds. 

First, please see our unboxing video posted in Otaku Fantasy official Facebook page:

Our team took a bite of each snack. We even had a pinch of the smaller items. We had a few laughs because of the weird-tasting ones, but it was a fun team-building experience. Next time, we'll shoot a video of our snack time once we get our hands on another subscription box. 

Let's begin the review from our most favorite down to the least. 

#1 - Lucky Red & White KitKat

Everyone here has a sweet tooth, and we won't be surprised if most would vote to feature the KitKat pack as the best in every subscription box we purchase. Surprisingly, it has a distinct, addictive sweetness we can't get enough of.

#2 - Suntory C.C. Lemon 

Whether you partner it with booze or drink it on its own, Suntory's C.C. Lemon is an incredible addition to the box. Unfortunately, there's just one of them so we couldn't chug to our heart's content. Now, we're all searching for an online store that sells it. TokyoTreat is a great way to discover new favorites.

#3 - Nagoya Donut

Soft and sweet, the red bean-filled donut is a satisfying snack. Because everyone's looking for crunch and sweets, I enjoyed half of this donut myself. Those courageous enough to try the other half of this item, which is new to them, agreed that it's one of the best.

#4 - Good Luck Taiyaki

We hope to get lucky next year after consuming the Good Luck Taiyaki. Everyone jumped in for their piece once they realized chocolate was in it. As a result, no actual picture. We'll make sure to piece everything equally next time. 

#5 - Sesame Sweet Potato Sticks (Shibuya Foods Crispy Imo Kenpi Daigaku)

We thought it was just normal sweet potato sticks, but that kick from the black or roasted sesame seeds changed our impressions from "meh" to "wow." We kind of wish we had more of this snack on our shelves.

#6 - Sour Cola Lollipop, Mishmash Soda Candy Rope, Fried Potato Snacks, Pretz Mild Roast

We're familiar with these items and are not so excited about them. Still, they taste great, and you will be delighted to taste them on your first try!

#7 - Choco Corn Puff Stick

We're at the okay level now, and one of these snacks is the crispy puff snack. It's star-shaped, and no one realized it because it was gone in seconds. If we were not that hungry and no one else was going after it, we would have appreciated it more because it is not too sweet.

#8 - Yamato Aji Curry Crackers

This is one of my favorites from my last TokyoTreat snack box. I guess the new curated items in the latest TokyoTreat 2024 New Year Edition set the bar high that Yamato Aji is no longer "meta." We're unsure how you'd see it, but it must be good news for first-time buyers that TokyoTreat is constantly improving their boxes.

#9 - Agemochi Bites

Down to the not-so-favorites, we put Agemochi Bites as the best among them because not everyone likes mochi and seafood. We had mixed feelings over this snack, but it's not something you need to be scared of.

#10 - Kabayaki Taro Jelly

We're glad that this classic dagashi snack is just a small strip. While most locals love it, like how Filipinos love their strong bagoong (shrimp paste), it may not appeal to everyone. 

#11 - Itomen Yamaimo Soba

We know some people who'd love this. It's a new feature, and we commend box subscription brands for promoting potential favorites. But these noodles are not as good if we compare them to other instant noodles featured by TokyoTreat. 

Final Thoughts On TokyoTreat 2024 New Year Edition

TokyoTreat has been a thoughtful and customer-centric brand. Apart from the heartfelt letters, their after-sales support is very helpful and responsive. They have built a solid online community and a loyal customer base with engaging prized contests and wistful picks.

Regarding their curated Japanese candy and snacks, it is apparent that TokyoTreat strives to improve its boxes monthly. For only $37 per month, a price you can bring down if you opt for a year's subscription, it is a win for otaku culture fans if you join their contests.

Our team highly recommends TokyoTreat, particularly the 2024 New Year Edition Japanese Candy and Snack Box, to adulting otakus who want to discover new things and flavors from Japan.