I recently got contacted by Tokyo Treat, who send out monthly boxes packed with Japanese snacks. The one they sent me is themed around Tsukimi – Japan’s magical Moon Festival.
Now, I’ll admit, I’ve never celebrated Tsukimi before (and I’m probably butchering the pronunciation), but the idea is pretty wonderful: people gather to look at the full moon and enjoy seasonal treats together.
The date falls on 25th October this year, which sounds serene and poetic – though if I tried the same here in Surrey, I’d probably just end up shivering in the garden with a packet of crisps.
Instead, I’ve been working my way through this snack box at home, with the included guidebook close to hand. Since I can’t read Japanese packaging, the guide’s explanations of flavours and traditions were essential – and added to the fun of discovering things I’ve never seen before, even at my local Japanese restaurant.
Mont Blanc KitKats
One of the standouts in the box was a whole bag of Mont Blanc KitKats. These are white chocolate with a sweet chestnut flavour, apparently with a dash of rum thrown in for good measure.
Now, I’ll be honest – I didn’t really get much rum from them, but they were still dangerously moreish. My wife wasn’t too keen (she’s clearly less forgiving of chestnut in her chocolate), which worked out rather well for me because I happily finished off the lot. I usually lean more towards dark chocolate, but these still hit the spot.
Heartwarming Harvest Cookie
Despite the name, these aren’t really “cookies” at all. They’re more like mini palmiers – layers of pastry folded together, dusted with sugar, and baked until golden.
I was expecting them to be rock-hard, but they turned out softer than they looked, with a satisfying balance of buttery sweetness and gentle crunch. Still flaky enough to make a few crumbs (and I may have broken them a bit while unwrapping), but tasty all the same. A pleasant little surprise in the box.
Mini Matcha Baumkuchen
At first glance, I wasn’t sure what to expect – it looked a bit like a doughnut, but with neat layers running through it. I half-wondered if it might be some kind of seaweed snack, but thankfully it turned out to be a soft, layered cake flavoured with matcha tea.
Baumkuchen is actually a German invention that Japan has fully adopted as its own, and it’s become a bit of a classic there. This little festival version was delicate to the point of almost falling apart in my hands, but that just added to the charm.
Taste-wise, it leans on the earthy, umami notes of matcha rather than sweetness. If you like green tea, this is right up your street. For me, it was a pleasant change of pace – subtle, refined, and a nice counterpoint to some of the more sugary snacks in the box.
Crispy Seaweed Bites
After working through a few of the sweeter options, these were a welcome change of pace. The packet only held a handful, but I could happily demolish a much bigger bag.
They’re deep-fried, crunchy, and generously seasoned with sesame oil – salty, savoury, and addictive. The flavour is distinctly seaweed, but not in a fishy or overpowering way. More like a crisp that’s been given a coastal twist.
One thing worth noting: when I checked the ingredients afterwards, I realised they contained peanuts. I’ve got a mild allergy, and suddenly the dry, uncomfortable feeling in my mouth made sense. It wasn’t a serious reaction, but enough to remind me that you really do need to read the labels carefully with these boxes, especially as the packaging is mostly in Japanese.
Seaweed Salt Potato Chips
One of the first things I opened was the packet of seaweed salt potato chips. Basically crisps, but with a distinctly Japanese twist.
They’re well-made and properly crispy, with a bold seaweed flavour that caught me off guard at first. I wasn’t entirely sure if I liked them on the first bite – but by the time I’d absent-mindedly munched through a stack of them while working, I had my answer. Very moreish, and a reminder that crisps don’t have to stick to cheese & onion or salt & vinegar.
Honey Butter Puffs
These were an instant hit – imagine a Wotsit, but swap out the neon cheese for a buttery honey glaze. Soft, airy, and dangerously easy to eat.
They strike that sweet-meets-savoury balance that Japan seems to do so well. Not cloying, not greasy – just light, crunchy puffs with a golden sweetness that keeps you reaching back into the bag. The sort of snack you finish before you realise it.
Choco Dream Star Bites
These little star-shaped bites were more delicate than I expected. Not overly sweet, but with a light cocoa flavour that reminded me more of breakfast cereal than a bar of chocolate.
The texture is spot on – crisp enough to crunch, but light enough that you can polish off a whole pack without even noticing. Subtle rather than indulgent, but sometimes that’s exactly what you want.
Sweet Potato Wafer Rolls
On paper, these sounded a bit odd – crispy wafers filled with sweet potato cream and a touch of brown sugar. Not exactly your everyday flavour combo.
But once I tried them, they turned out to be surprisingly pleasant. The flavours work together in a way that’s unusual but well balanced, with the sweet potato giving it a mellow, earthy sweetness rather than anything too heavy. High quality, interesting, and definitely unlike any wafer roll I’ve picked up in a UK shop.
Carrot Crunch Rice Puffs
These came in a bright carrot-shaped packet that immediately caught my kids’ attention. Once opened, there were loads of bite-sized rice puffs inside, which kept them happily snacking for quite a while.
The flavour isn’t strong – just a gentle, slightly sweet crunch – but that’s clearly part of the appeal. They disappeared fast, and I can see why this would be a hit with children at a festival (or on a rainy afternoon at home).
Moontastic Pudding Mochi
Mochi is one I’m already familiar with, as we often pick up the frozen versions filled with ice cream. These have that same soft, chewy texture, but with a custard-like filling instead.
They’re small – just a couple of bites and they’re gone – but tasty all the same. A nice little festival treat, even if I did wish there were more in the packet.
Fall Butter Biscuit
This little round biscuit was delicate and buttery, the sort of thing that feels right at home with a cup of tea. It’s refined and light, a world away from the everyday Rich Tea I’d normally dunk.
Shaped like a full moon, it ties neatly into the Tsukimi theme – though honestly, I was more focused on how quickly it disappeared from my plate.
Full Moon Egg Soup
This one’s a bit different to the rest – a savoury instant soup rather than a snack. It ties into the moon theme with its round egg pieces floating on top. I wasn’t entirely sure about it at first, but it’s worth trying just for the novelty. Light, salty, and warming, it feels more like a quick lunchbox extra than a festival treat.
Fall Fruits Jelly
These came in little individual cups, and I saved them to share with the kids. Bright, sweet, and wobbly, they’re exactly the sort of thing that disappears fast in our house. Each has a different fruit flavour, and while they’re not exactly gourmet, they’re fun, colourful, and very easy to eat. Perfect for a family-friendly way to finish off the box.
Final Thoughts
All told, the box contained a lot of snacks – far more than I expected when I first opened it. I wasn’t sure at the start whether this would be my kind of thing, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised. The majority of the treats I genuinely enjoyed, and even the ones that weren’t instant favourites were interesting enough to be worth trying.
What impressed me most was the variety. From chestnut KitKats to matcha cake, from seaweed crisps to honeyed puffs, there was always something new to discover. It’s a different way to experience Japanese food culture, and a fun one at that. Definitely worth doing, especially if you enjoy exploring snacks that you’d never normally find in a UK shop.
If you’d like to order a box or subscribe, you can do so on the Tokyo Treats website.
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