A Look Back at Previous Sakura Crates – Cherishing Seasons Past

Japan Crate is an exciting monthly subscription that allows you to indulge in Japanese snacks, food, candies, collectibles, and more. Each month, a new theme is presented, and carefully curated items are included in every box aligning with the theme. These monthly themes represent important aspects of Japanese culture, whether through popular forms of entertainment (like the Manga Crate) or annual traditions.

Within these monthly themes lies the Sakura Crate, a box celebrating springtime, and the iconic Sakura flowers, a significant part of Japanese culture. Their symbolism and fleeting beauty inspire people to live life to the fullest while they can. This cherry blossom crate features an array of cultivated snacks and treats that easily transport you under the famed Japanese cherry trees with each bite. Bring Japanese spring to your home with this snack subscription box.

Learn more about what to expect in the annual Sakura Crate with this Japan Crate review.

Memorable Moments from Past Sakura Crates

The 2023 Sakura Crates offered vivid colors and designs with Sakura flowers and petals sprinkled throughout. The theme for this brightly colored pink box was a picnic under the Sakura trees with friends, family, and your Japan Crate.

Each 2023 Sakura Crate included an array of Japanese snacks, including mini peach hard candy, whistle candy, Strawberry Sparkle Pocky, and other delicious Sakura-inspired food items. As with other Japan Crate snack boxes, this cherry blossom snack box came with a non-edible item - a magical growing Sakura tree that bloomed into a springtime keepsake.

Customers have enjoyed the snack variety in previous Japan Crate boxes and the exploration of Japanese culture. One subscriber mentioned, "I am excited about learning more about Japanese culture. And what better way to accomplish this than through sweets?" in their Japan Crate review. By sharing a piece of Japan in every box, subscribers can better delve into Japan as a whole.

Exploring the Contents: A Dive into Cherry Blossom Flavors

Each Sakura Crate is filled with 15-17 tasty, full-sized snacks, sweets, and teas/drinks. Alongside these tasty treats, the Sakura Crate includes a collectible item (like the growing Sakura tree last year), a booklet exploring each snack more in-depth, and an exciting experience with fun prizes based on the monthly theme.

A few treats found in last year's box include a sweet fermented rice drink typically consumed during hanami (Sakura flower viewing), a savory fish chew snack for cherry blossom picnics, and a strawberry cream roll cake. Each of these items (along with the other products) was carefully selected to fit the Sakura theme, from items that would typically be packed into a bento box and brought for a hanami celebration to traditional treats served under the pink petals of cherry blossom trees.

While not all products include Sakura flowers, essence, or flavoring, they each provide a beautiful springtime experience, through bright pink-colored packaging, spring flavors (such as strawberry), or flower shapes/decor. Regardless of which type of snacker you are, you'll find plenty of seasonal options to take to any cherry blossom viewing.

The Cultural Significance of Sakura

Those who visit Japan during springtime will learn about the importance of Sakura to Japanese culture rather quickly. With the flower depicted in art, media, apparel, and other various items, it's clear to see the significant impact this flower has on the locals.

The Sakura flower significantly impacts the culture because of its complex symbolism, allowing each person to leave with a different message. These flowers typically bloom for about 1-2 weeks each year, demonstrating how quickly life can change/end. On the opposite spectrum, the blooming of the flowers exhibits the meaning of life. Thus, the flowers represent life and death simultaneously. Additionally, the flowers represent beauty, optimism, and renewal.

Because of the vast number of meanings of the Sakura blossoms, they are represented in various art mediums as a method of enhancing the symbolism of the art, providing a clue to what comes next for the viewer, or offering a clearer timeline for events, hence, why you'll see a boom in Sakura flower representation during springtime throughout various mediums.

Each year, the Sakura Crate aims to encapsulate this exciting cultural phenomenon for those who cannot see the delicate pink petals in person through exclusive seasonal items that help transport subscribers. These items provide insight into springtime in Japan, when the Sakura flowers are blossoming, signifying the beginning of a new season.

Through aromatic and flavorful snacks, subscribers can familiarize themselves with popular food items that appear in Japan at this time. While it's not quite the same as seeing the blossoms in person, it does bridge the gap between those outside of Japan and those in the country celebrating hanami.

Japan Crate Review: What Subscribers Say

Previous customers enjoyed the Sakura Crates from previous years, noting things like, "Really enjoying the different kinds of snacks you can get from Japan, so keep up the good work." and "Loved the Cherry Blossom Tree! Also the snacks, of course!". Many subscribers have enjoyed the cute cherry blossom crate boxes each year during Sakura season, along with the themed snacks inside. With a combination of nostalgic Japanese snacks and new, exciting flavor offerings, the feedback has been overall positive concerning Sakura Crates of the past.

Feedback is essential to the Japan Crate subscription, as it allows for improved service, experience, and products. Because of the feedback provided by previous subscribers, like the ones noted above, Japan Crate has shifted to higher-quality products that are seasonal and limited edition. With this shift, subscribers can expect deliciously unique snacks straight from Japan each month.

Looking Forward: The 2024 Cherry Blossom Japan Crate

This year's Sakura Crate will allow subscribers to join in hanami from the comfort of their homes with Sakura-infused delights. With sweet and savory snacks featuring the aromatic, delicate flavor of Sakura blossoms, this cherry blossom crate will provide a unique experience as if you're visiting Japan during springtime. Perhaps you'll even find an omikuji (Japanese fortune) tucked in among the snacks, revealing insight into your luck in the future.

Japan Crate aims to continue innovating the process, snacks, and inclusions with each curated Sakura Crate. Every year, Japan Crate will bring another piece of hanami to international subscribers through new, unique snacks, information on the celebration, exciting prizes from Japan, and more. This innovation will allow the Japan Crate team to celebrate the Sakura season with subscribers a little more each year.

Subscribe to Japan Crate now to enjoy new snacks featuring Japanese Sakura blossoms. As you indulge in these sweet and savory snacks, you'll learn more about Japanese culture through the flavors that arise from the Japan-exclusive yummy treats.

Sugoi Mart

If you can't wait for the release of the Sakura Crate, Sugoi Mart has a large Sakura collection featuring items from Starbucks Japan, Disney, Sanrio, Muji, and other top brands. You can purchase these cherry blossom items right away and have them delivered to your doorstep in no time!