Japanese subscription boxes are booming, and with good reason—they’re a fun way to get a taste of Japan, whether you’ve been here before or not. There are as many types of boxes as there are day trips from Tokyo, including ones filled with Japanese snacks, plush toys and more. Here, we’ll be taking a look at Peko Peko Box—a different kind of subscription box that’s heavy on the culture, and light on the snacks. As always, we brought in our feline members of the team to assist.
Looking for a dedicated Japanese candy or snack box you can subcribe to from overseas? Check out our review of Bokksu, as well as our cat-filled write-up about Tokyo Treat.
What’s in a Peko Peko box?
Though the name means “hungry”, Peko Peko is not a Japanese snack box as such, but a gift box. Each box contains a selection of souvenirs like organic soaps, cloths, ceramics and crafts, with just a few snacks thrown in.
The boxes were launched by a small travel company in Japan, in response to the restrictions on tourism caused by COVID-19. The idea is that although you might not be able to visit Japan for a while, you can still explore it from your armchair, wherever you are in the world.
While the exact contents vary, every Peko Peko box contains:
- 4-6 crafts and collectibles
- 2-4 snack or drink items
- A print magazine describing the contents
While we don’t generally like the word “curated” (far too fancy a term for us cheapos), it feels appropriate here: the stuff in a Peko Peko box is classy and very carefully picked indeed. The company states explicitly that they “support local makers and natural products instead of big chains and mass-produced fluffy snacks”.
Pro tip: You can get to know more about the craftsfolk through video interviews uploaded on the Peko Peko Box website, which is pretty neat.
Overall, we reckon that older Japanese enthusiasts would probably get more out of a Peko Peko box than the average kid. If you’re looking for a bite of Japanese culture, this sophisticated little box is the one for you.
Unboxing Peko Peko: Spirit of Japan
Each box has a theme. To date, these have included the areas of Kamakura and Joge, as well as Japanese new year traditions. More themes are added throughout the year.
Our box had the theme “Spirit of Japan”, and this is what was lurking inside:
- Matcha sweets
- Yuzu soap
- A daruma doll from Gunma (famous for them)
- A tatami coaster
- A cat-print tenugui hand cloth
- Sustainable genmaicha (green tea with roasted brown rice), which paired nicely with the sweets
- Rice crackers
- Plum incense
- A stamped card from Shunkoin Temple in Kyoto
The idea behind this theme is to take you on a virtual journey across Japan, from Tokyo to Kyoto, picking up items along the way. The cats thoroughly enjoyed the trip, from their hot carpet in the lounge.
How much does a Peko Peko box cost?
You can order a single Peko Peko gift box, which is priced at 45 USD plus shipping, or take out one of two types of subscriptions:
- 3 boxes/year: 41 USD + shipping per box
- 6 boxes/year: 39 USD + shipping per box
One box is shipped from Japan every two months, with the first box of the year going out in early January. Find out more about Peko Peko Box.
You can also order individual items from the Peko Peko Box online store, to assemble your own custom box, or to get more of something you really liked from a past box.
Where does Peko Peko Box ship?
Peko Peko Box ships to Europe and Asia using ePacket Light from Japan Post, and to the USA, Canada, Australia, South America, Africa, the Middle East and Russia using DHL. Shipping fees are added at checkout. See the full list of countries that can be shipped to on the Peko Peko Box website.
*Note: Actual cats are not included in Japanese gift boxes. You’ll need to adopt them on your own. Follow our hardworking box reviewers Enzo and Dot on Instagram.
We were not paid by Peko Peko Box to write this article. However, we did receive a sample box to review. Additionally, this article contains affiliate links. If you order through them, we will receive some monies to help keep The Laser Cats fed and happy.
