When you first open up the subscription box, you are greeted with a wonderful message from the Founder and CEO of ICHIGO Inc. and their subsidiaries, Ayumi Chikamoto. Her message speaks of how Japanese people will find tranquility in nature which comforts the soul. How the people of the island work hard to preserve their lands, how summers brought unforgettable memories, how the call of the ocean and mountains of the region bring a refreshing experience that is irresistible, and how Okinawa exudes these feelings in the “Okinawa Retreat” monthly subscription box for August 2022. All of these feelings and experiences are what Chikamoto-san wanted to share with consumers via special Okinawan snacks.

Now, before we get into the items that came with the August subscription box, Okinawa is known for many things but in particular, sugar cane! Okinawa farms the country's sugar cane and markets it to companies who mostly make snacks/sweats out of them and we’ll tell you, they are to die for! We may sell our souls for a huge crate of either Sata Andagi Brown Sugar Donuts or Brown Sugar Karinto! Mmmm.

Once you finish reading Chikamoto-san’s message, you’ll see a small booklet that will contain all the information needed to know about the sweets in your monthly subscription box. The booklet will have a short greeting from the Sakuraco Team, giving a brief history of the Okinawan region: birthplace of karate, “yumaru” (helping one another), and having the longest lifespan in the world, to name a few. As you keep reading, you also learn about the Higa Seicha: Traditional Okinawa in a Cup, which explains briefly about Okinawa’s long history with tea, the chinsuko, a treat from Miyako island and with a rich history behind its making, to how the salt used, Snow Salt, resembles icing sugar in appearance and lightness.

After this, you will be given a fairly detailed description of each snack in the box that includes a brief phrase describing the overall feel and taste of the item(s), The full name of the item, Common Allergens, May Contain Traces of, Vegetarian Friendly, and a short description about the treats themselves along with what to pair with them! There are also some short history sections about Okinawa’s islands, the culture, the villages, and more. Sakuraco also has a QR code to scan for a list of all the ingredients and allergens for all items. Sakuraco even features the community at the end and if you’re a monthly subscriber and share your experience on social media, the Sakuraco team may use your post to feature in their next monthly subscription box for consumers.

A lot of these treats we’ve had before and remember when we used to enjoy them during the summer or winter time. Those seasons really brought out the flavors and history of each treat consumed. We already mentioned the snacks we’d give our souls for, but there is one in particular that reigns supreme in our eyes and that is the Snow Salt Milk Chinsuko treat. The chinsuko has to be one of the smoothest and butteriest shortbread-like treats ever. While still remaining firm, it dissolves in your mouth like a creme with a very nice blend of salty and sweet. They are our faves!

In addition, the subscription box this month came with a surprise treat for you to try and you can find out what the item is when you scan the QR code to see further details about the treats you received. This treat was something we never had before called Sweet Potato Kanten, which is a cube-shaped gelatin treat that you can see through but tasted delicious! We wish there was more! Lastly, Sakuraco doesn’t give just treats for consumption, we also received a single pair of chopsticks to use for snacking on the treats and drinking tea! All this so you can experience a slice of Japan from a remote location.

Sakuraco also holds contests every once in a while and this time, they are holding a photo contest of your monthly boxes to share on social media. There are also other ways to win extra goodies as well: by reviewing boxes you receive, participating in collaborations, and ultimately becoming a member of the Sakuraco subscription service.