FAQ

A subscription means that you will be charged every month and receive a crate the following month. If you opt for the 3-month to 12-month subscription, your subscription will auto-renew every new billing date. Our subscriptions renew automatically so that you don't have to create a new subscription each month. If you ever need to cancel your subscription you can do so in your account before your next billing date.

You can cancel your subscription once you're logged in to your account.

1 - Under ‘My Account’ click on ‘My Subscription’.
2 - Then go to ‘Subscription’.
3 - Click on the rectangle where you can see your subscription.

4 - Scroll down and you will see the ‘Cancel Subscription’ button.
5 - Please select a reason to help us better understand how we can improve
6 - Finally, click on the ‘Cancel‘ button and that's it! Once you do that your subscription will be fully canceled, and you will receive an email confirmation.

*Please note that cancelling your subscription will not cancel the orders already placed.

Please reach out to us about any damage or missing items from the shipping journey, we would love to help make it right for you! We would just need you to write in about these within 48hrs of delivery, with photos of the damage.

Please write in at info@japancrate.com.

You got an email, SMS, or any other type of promo code from us that you want to use? It's super easy!

1 - Choose the crate you want and click on the ‘Subscribe’ button.

2 - Click on the ‘Checkout’ button and you will be redirected to the checkout page. 

3 - On the top-right, input your code and click on the ‘Apply’ button.

4 - After confirming the new price, you can input your address and continue to the payment page.

 
Coupon codes have the following limitations:
- All coupon codes will have an expiration date.
- Multiple codes cannot be stacked.
- Discounts and promo codes cannot be added on retroactively.
- Discount codes for first-time subscribers cannot be applied to an account that currently has existing subscriptions.
- Promo codes do not apply to Gift Subscriptions.
- The codes can only be applied to the size of crate specified. EX: 3$ off a Premium crate cannot be used with an Umai crate

*We reserve the right to cancel your Japan Crate account if we suspect that there has been coupon abuse.

The only time that you can change your subscription plan is before the next billing date.

Just as you cannot cancel a multi-month plan prematurely, you cannot change your multi-month subscription plan till it is over. If you have a 12-month, 6-month, or 3-month subscription, you will have to wait for the subscription cycle to be over before the new subscription plan activates.

This also applies to the size of the crate and the type of the crate. If you wish to upgrade your crate or switch to a different crate, you will need to do so before the next billing date. If you do not change your plan before the billing date, it will not register in the system until the current plan finishes.

We ask that our customers consider this prior to starting a multi-month subscription plan.

*For first-time orders, please write to our support team to have your subscription changed within 2 hours of placing your order. Subscriptions cannot be manually changed after the order has been placed so customers will need to have their orders canceled so that they can place a new one

Orders close at 11:59pm PST on the last day of the month. Any orders placed after then will be dated as the 15th of the following month.

The Sugoi Crate is a giant crate full of Japanese goodies that one lucky subscriber is randomly chosen to win each month.

Each month has new items that can include video game consoles, oversized candies, Japanese toys/figures, electronics, plushies & more!

Sugoi Crate winners are announced on the 1st of each month. Winners are randomly selected from a list of all subscribers for the month.

The winners will be contacted to confirm their shipping address before the crate is shipped. If no response is received within 5 days, a new winner will be selected and contacted. So be sure to keep an eye out on your inbox!

Please ensure that your contact/shipping information is current in your account so that we are able to get in touch in the event of a win.

頑張って / Good luck! ^_^

At this time, we do not offer standalone crates without subscriptions. If you would like to buy just one crate, you can always subscribe and cancel your subscription right away. That way you will only be billed for that month’s crate.

All of our subscriptions renew themselves after the subscription cycle ends. In order to place a one-time subscription, you will need to cancel your order prior to the next billing date.

If you fail to cancel your subscription before your billing date, you will be charged for a subscription renewal. You can cancel future renewals, but will not be refunded for the new renewal. You will still be sent the crate/s from the last renewal. This applies to multi-month subscriptions as well.

Please note that our renewals process every day at 12:00 AM GMT regardless of your own time zone.

Whenever you cancel a subscription, you will always have the option to reactivate the subscription at a later date.
1 - Log in to your account
2 - Under ‘Subscription’ click on the ‘Reactivate’ button.

Renewed subscriptions will keep their original billing date so multi-month subscriptions will not renew until the original renewal date. One-month recurring subscriptions will renew within 24 hours and the next renewal date will be set to be the original bill date.

Also, please remember that because your subscription will not be billed instantly if you are trying to make the monthly deadline, it's best to create a new subscription.

*Coupon codes cannot be used for reactivated subscriptions. You will need to start a new order in order to apply a code to the charge.

Our crate contents are a surprise each month. As with blind box toys or gachapon, you cannot request a refund or an exchange if you do not like the contents of your crate. 

You can, however, reach out to our support team to let us know what you didn't like about the crates and what items you would like to see more of. We will gladly take your suggestions into consideration for future crates. 

We are always looking to improve our crates so we appreciate constructive feedback!

Anytime you want to skip a crate, you can skip your renewal!
1 - Log in to your account
2 - Under ‘Subscription’ click on the ‘Skip This Order’ button.

Be sure to skip your renewal before your billing date and remember that if you don't want a crate for the following month, you will need to skip the renewal again.

This way, you don't need to cancel your subscription but skip a crate any time that you need to! 

We now offer Free Worldwide Shipping! However, there are some areas around the world that have a shipping fee of $9.95. Please fill in your shipping address at checkout to see if you may incur a fee.

Or you can visit our Shipping Page for a dropdown, where you can find exact shipping details for your country!

If you're living in the US we have great news. We have upgraded your shipping method from Japan Post to UPS.

What are the benefits:

- Tracking Numbers - with all crates
- Crates Ship More Frequently - 3x per week up from once per week
- Faster Delivery - 3-10 business days
- Insurance included - Peace of mind

Best of all? Shipping stays free

*Fulfillment of the crates takes 5-10 business days

* UPS does not deliver to PO boxes, thank you for your undestanding

YAY!! We have upgraded your shipping method from Japan Post to DHL and Fast Delivery. 

This will be effective from your April 2022 crates and on. 

What are the benefits

- Tracking Numbers - with all crates
- Crates Ship More Frequently - 3x per week up from once per week
- Faster Delivery - 7-15 business days
- Insurance included - Peace of mind

*Fulfillment of the crates takes 5-10 business days.

*Our couriers may not be available to some locations free of charge. Please check here to see if your location may incur a small shipping fee. 

We now offer Free Shipping to many countries, including, USA, Canada and Australia!!

Delivery times vary depending on the destination country and available shipping services. See below for estimated delivery times according to country.

United States

3-10 Business days

Rest of the world

7-15 Business days

*Fulfillment of the crates takes 5-10 business days.

*Our couriers may not be available to some locations free of charge. Please check on our website to see if your location may incur a small shipping fee. 

Please write to our customer support info@japancrate.com if your crate is missing. In order for us to track your crate, with a tracking link, you need to let us know within 60 days of the order date. If you have not written in within that timeframe, we will no longer be able to help you.

We are working as hard as we can to ensure that your crate will be processed and shipped out as soon as it can be. Crates are now being shipped out within 5-10 business days of your initial order. Once your crate is on its way to you, you will receive a shipment notification. 

*Please note that crates may take longer to fulfill during Japanese national holidays.

If your shipping status is showing as delivered and your crate isn’t there, please contact the shipping courier/local postal service for an up-to-date status on your delivery.

If you’re unsure of whether you will be home during the delivery, please contact the delivery service to schedule a pickup or a time for your package to be delivered.

Japan Crate is not responsible for missed deliveries or missing packages. 

For recurring month-to-month subscriptions, address changes need to be made before that month's renewal. If you are unsure of your new address, please skip your renewal date or send an email to info@japancrate.com so we can hold your shipment.

For multi-month prepaid subscriptions, address changes should be made the month prior to the address change. For example, if you are moving in November to a new address, an address change needs to be made before the start of October.

For new subscriptions, address changes need to be made within 24 hours of the subscription's creation. Please double-check your address before finalizing your subscription.

We currently accept all major credit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Discover, JCB, Diners, AmEx.) and PayPal. 

Prepaid gift cards have the possibility of being processed without being completed depending on if the bank allows the transaction to go through.  Sometimes it will allow one month to go through and then deny the subsequent months depending on the bank/balance of the prepaid card.

Unfortunately, we do not accept cash or check.

Our payment system needs to verify the CVC/CVV code along with the billing zip code. Your billing address and shipping address do not need to be the same, we just need to verify for the zip code of the card.

If you are using a pre-paid gift card, please check with the issuing company to see if you need to register the card or if they provide the zip code.

If you are still having issues with your payment card, please contact your bank first and then contact us for more trouble shooting.

Your billing date will be determined on the date of your first payment. For example, if you paid on May 4th and you have a monthly subscription, you will receive your next charge on June 4th, then July 4th, and so on.

If you forget when you placed your order, just sign in to your account and you can find your next renewal date under My Subscription. 

However, if you have an order date of the 31st or 30th, your renewal date will be pushed to accommodate months that do not have those dates. 

Please note that our renewals process every day at 12:00 AM GMT regardless of your own time zone.

For example: If your subscription was started on January 31st, it will renew on February 28th or 29th (If it is a Leap Year). In March, the renewal date will be the 28th or 29th and that will be set as your new billing date. If you would like to have your renewal date changed back to the 30th of the month, please write to our support team and we can take care of that for you!

If you wish to cancel your subscription, you will have to do so prior to your next billing date.

If you have a case regarding lost packages or accidental double subscriptions, please contact our support team to see if you qualify to receive a refund. Please be sure to submit information such as the subscription number, the amount paid, and the reason for requesting a refund.

Canceling a subscription does not automatically give you a refund as canceling subscriptions only cancels future renewals and shipments. 

Failure to cancel a subscription before the next billing date will not be refunded.

Premium Japan Crate is the premier Japanese candy subscription service. Each month we handpick an assortment of fun and crazy candy, snacks, and DIY kits from Japan and send them to you.

We pride ourselves on sending exclusive candy you can’t find in the US. We attend candy trade shows in Japan twice a year to keep current on seasonal candy and new candy inventions.

Plus, as you can tell, we don't skimp. We send each box stuffed with full-sized Japanese candies.  So what are you waiting for?  Join the thousands of people that are already subscribed! 

That’s a surprise!  What we can promise is that every month, you will receive 18-20 full-size Japanese snacks that are difficult or impossible to find outside of Japan. It always contains a DIY kit, a drink, and a specialty item.

We cannot customize crates based on diet restrictions at this time. If you have any food allergies or dietary restrictions, we suggest to not order the Japan Crate.

We'll give you information taken directly from a few of Japan's government agencies who helped come up with these guidelines.

On perishables, like a bento, sandwich, milk, or any other item with a really short shelf life including food that needs refrigeration, there will be a "Use-By" date and that's the date after which you need to toss that food or risk illness, and this term is all about food safety. 

But since we don't include that kind of product in our crates, we'll go on to the info that will actually be useful to you.

The Japanese candies, chips, dried noodles, drinks, and other snacks in our crates will have these 4 kanji (賞味期限) on them somewhere, often printed in a white box, with black printed numbers underneath. This word is read as "Shomi kigen".

The word to word translation means "Guaranteed Delicious Term", or what we call the "Best Before"  or "Best if Eaten By" date, which is really just the time frame in which the chip / candy / noodle / drink manufacturer, based on internal tests of their product, thinks is the period of peak deliciousness for that wonderful snack.

Long story short, as long as the packaging is sealed, and it has been stored somewhere clean and safe and dark, most of these can be eaten for a fairly long time after that date has passed.

Doki Doki Crate is your monthly supply of everything "kawaii", or “cute"! Inside the crate, you will find 5-6 kawaii items that will help you throughout your day!

The monthly crates are curated by Tomomi-chan and her friends. ^_^ You can follow their adventures in the "manga-zine" included in each crate! Each cover can be opened to become a collectible kawaii mini poster.

Each Doki Doki crate is a surprise of 5-7 practical items ranging from exclusive apparel to licensed collectibles, household goods, plushies and more.   

Additionally! A "manga-zine" comes with each crate containing information about each item plus a comic, contest details, and the contents of that month's Suteki Crate!

The Suteki Crate is a giant crate full of kawaii goodies that one lucky subscriber is randomly chosen to win each month.

Each month has new items that can include video game consoles, DIY kits, plushies, figures, blind boxes, fashion items, stationery, and more!

Suteki Crate winners are announced on the 1st of each month. Winners are randomly selected from a list of all subscribers for the month.

The winners will be contacted to confirm their shipping address before the crate is shipped. If no response is received within 5 days, a new winner will be selected and contacted. So be sure to keep an eye out on your inbox.

Please ensure that your contact/shipping information is current in your account so that we are able to get in touch in the event of a win.

Good luck! ^_^

Umai Crate is your monthly fill of Japanese noodles! Each Umai Crate is specially curated and contains 7-8 Japan-exclusive instant noodles. The noodles range anywhere from specialty ramen to Japanese-style spaghetti. You'll also receive a surprise bonus item that will go great will all of your noodles!

Each Umai Crate will also come with a manga-zine that will have short descriptions for every instant noodle and brief instructions on how to prepare them. They'll also include short tips to help you enhance the flavor of your noodles.

Every Umai Crate will come with 7-8 Premium Japan-exclusive instant noodles! There will be a wide variety of different noodles that include ramen, udon, yakisoba, spaghetti and more! Each Umai Crate will also come with a monthly bonus item that could be a new set of chopsticks to help you enjoy your noodles or a fun ramen gachapon!

We cannot customize crates based on diet restrictions at this time. If you have any food allergies we recommend not ordering the Umai Crate as there are no ingredient labels on the items.

We'll give you information taken directly from a few of Japan's government agencies who helped come up with these guidelines.

On perishables, like a bento, sandwich, milk, or any other item with a really short shelf life including food that needs refrigeration, there will be a "Use-By" date and that's the date after which you need to toss that food or risk illness, and this term is all about food safety. 

But since we don't include that kind of product in our crates, we'll go on to the info that will actually be useful to you.

The Japanese noodles in our crate will have these 4 kanji on them somewhere, often printed in a white box, with black printed numbers underneath. This word is read as "Shomi kigen"

The word to word translation means "Guaranteed Delicious Term", or what we call the "Best Before"  or "Best if Eaten By" date, which is really just the time frame in which the chip / candy / noodle / drink manufacturer, based on internal tests of their product, thinks is the period of peak deliciousness for that wonderful snack.

Long story short, as long as the packaging is sealed, and it has been stored somewhere clean and safe and dark, most of these can be eaten for a fairly long time after that date has passed.

We can't really answer that but can give you some guidelines that might help you decide.

First, does "Best Before" the date have a Year / Month format? 

Or a  Year / Month /  Date format?

If it has a Year / Month / Date format, the manufacturer is letting you know it's really best within 3 months of production.

So snacks with a Year / Month / Date are probably not going to be very good way past that date.

If it has a Year / Month format, the manufacturer is letting you know that this product has a pretty serious shelf life, over 3 months to begin with, and in many cases is manufactured to retain flavor so noodles with "Best Before" dates like these can often be consumed even months (and some case longer!) down the line without extremely noticeable loss of flavor. 

We do hope you get to enjoy your noodles before the "Best Before" date.

A carefully curated selection of 8-10 Japanese stationery items ranging from notebooks & planners to pens, markers, fun accessories and more.

A carefully curated selection of 8-10 Japanese stationery items ranging from notebooks & planners to pens, markers, fun accessories and more.

We offer free crates for sponsored review. Please fill out this form, and we'll get back to you.

While we wish we could send crates to all those who request them, we like to work closely with our reviewers and will only be accepting those that we feel would be a good mutual fit for us.

However, if you still want to purchase your own crate and do a review, please send it to us and we'd love to share it! 

Your subscription may be cancelled if it's deemed as a remote address and we cannot find a shipping courier that will deliver to you in a timely manner, with an affordable shipping cost. 

If your subscription is cancelled a customer support representative will be contacting you to inform you of this cancellation and to process a full refund. 

Please contact info@japancrate.com if you have any questions about your recent order. 

Once an order is placed, our team starts working hard to process and fulfil your new crate so that it ships out to you in as little time as possible!

Please understand that there are no cancellations, except for future renewals, as stated in our disclaimer at checkout and our cancellation policy.

We appreciate your acceptance and understanding! 

If you need any help cancelling future renewals please feel free to reach out to our customer support team at info@japancrate.com.

You will only be able to cancel future subscription renewals. We cannot refund the remainder of the subscription. This applies to 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month subscriptions. Before ordering your subscription, please keep this in mind. If you are unsure if you want to stick to a subscription long-term, we suggest that you try out a couple of months using our month-to-month plan.

It is in our policy that subscriptions must be canceled prior to the billing date or they will renew for another month.

Once your subscription renews and your order has been processed, we are unable to cancel the order or accept a returned crate for a refund.

If you choose to send back your crate, please be aware that a refund will not be issued.

Gift subscriptions make a great present for those who love Japanese culture or new snacks! You can select the crate and subscription plan on our brand new website! Once you select the crate, click on Give Gift.

On the checkout page, input the information of the person you want to offer the crate and you're all set and ready!! 

All gift subscriptions do not renew so you will not be charged when the subscription term is over. The recipient will not have access to your account and will not be able to see your payment details. We are unable to change the type of crate you receive from the gift subscription.

 *Gift subscriptions require a minimum of 3 months.*

Gift subscriptions are made so that they do not renew so they cannot be reactivated once the term has finished. If you wish to continue with your subscription, please be sure to place a new order. 

Worried that you'll miss a month? Feel free to contact our Support team and they will let you know when your gift subscription will finish so that you can be sure to get your new order in time!

All of our prices are in USD. We only process payments in USD and due to the fluctuation in conversion rates, the price for crates may also change.

To get an estimate of the pricing in your currency, you can use sites such as Xe.com. Your bank will process the currency exchange so be aware that the pricing will be different.

Also, since we only process payments in USD, we also only process refunds in USD. We will send you back the amount in USD so it may be different than the amount that you initially paid.

The total cost does not cover any customs fees or taxes that may be charged by your country during the delivery process. Subscribers are responsible for such fees. 

Unfortunately, we do not have control over any extra import costs that may be issued, as every country has its own regulations when it comes to processing shipments into their country.

However, while we process your crates for shipment, we do everything we can to lower the chances that your crates will be flagged and charged customs fees.

If your crates do incur these charges and you refuse the delivery, you can request for it to be sent back to the sender for a refund of the crate. The shipping fee that we have paid is taken out of the refund, as it was used to ship the crate.

The Japan Crate Rewards is a loyalty program designed by us to reward and encourage savings for our loyal customers. Unlock many benefits & perks and save more every time you shop on Japan Crate.

Enroll in our program and start earning points whenever you make a purchase! The more you collect the better the redeemable rewards are.
Points are earned from purchases, social likes on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter; with the opportunity to earn additional points during special events.

Anyone can enroll and take advantage of the program

Members can unlock many benefits:

- Earn points when you buy any crate
- Bonus points like birthdays, following our socials, etc.
- VIP tiers, each tier comes with special perks

By spending a certain amount, you can reach different tiers. Every tier has its own benefits.

Yes. Points expire within 1 calendar year.

No, reward points are not transferable. They can only be redeemed from your account.