Orient 8 is a unique subscription box that sends you a monthly selection of Asian goods. The number 8 is synonymous with fortune in Asian culture, so each box will contain exactly 8 different products. Neat!
Items featured in an Orient 8 box can include snacks, household goods, gadgets, anime, novelty items, and more. Most of the products are imported from Japan, China, or Korea. Subscriptions are $14.88/month (less with multi-month commitments) plus shipping and you can cancel right on their site at anytime.
Let’s see what’s in February’s box!
Everything was shipped in a big white box with an Orient 8 sticker on top.
First look. I had no idea what I’d find inside…
An info sheet listed everything included in the box, along with a little history of how it originated or why it’s popular in its particular culture. It was rolled up into a scroll and tied with the ribbon shown here.
Japanese Candy Apple Dipping Candy Kit – Why is Japanese candy so much cooler than ours?! This is a “DIY candy kit” that consists of apple flavored(?) lollipops that you dip into liquid candy and then into tiny sprinkles for the ultimate candy candy apple. Fun!
Japanese Fish Kite – According to the info sheet, it’s a tradition in Japan to hang these fish flags on poles outside of your home to represent the number of male occupants inside. When the wind blows through it, the fresh water carp looks like he’s swimming upstream.
Chinese New Year Envelopes (6) – My best friend growing up was half Chinese, and I vaguely remember her having envelopes like these. (Totally didn’t mean for that to rhyme.) February 19th is the first day of the Chinese New Year, with 2015 being the year of the Sheep/Ram. It’s a tradition to stuff these red envelopes with money and give them to loved ones as a wish for good fortune in the new year.
Crane Chopstick Rest – I thought this was just a little origami figurine until I read the info sheet and discovered that it’s actually a chopstick rest. An origami flying crane is a Japanese symbol of good luck — which I definitely need when it comes to using chopsticks.
Chopsticks – Speaking of chopsticks… Here’s a cute set (pair?) that features hungry little panda bears eating… whatever panda bears eat.
Green Tea Red Bean Mochi Rolls – While they originated in Japan, these Mochi rolls are actually from Taiwan. They’re a chewy treat made with glutinous rice, milk, red bean, and green tea. I’ve always been curious what they taste like, but since they have dairy, I may never know… sniff
Toast Stamp – Apparently “toast art” is big in Japan and the pros use foils and cocoa powder to create intricate anime art on toast. This fun toast stamp isn’t quite as challenging, but when it comes to toast, I ain’t got no time for stinkin’ challenges.
G7 Instant Coffee – The package claims that this is “the leading Vietnamese coffee” sold around the world. I’m not much of a fan of instant coffee, but I’m curious to see how it differs from the US version. I was also surprised to learn that Vietnam is the number 1 producer of coffee & that they recently beat out Brazil. (Thanks, info card!)
February’s Orient 8 box was a lot of fun to sort through. I love that they include little tidbits of history on the info sheet to better understand the meaning behind each product. I also like the wide variety of products they sent. Value-wise, I’d say it’s probably fair. I definitely wouldn’t be able to pick all these things up at my local grocery store. Nor would I get the cool background info (seriously, I loved that part!).
Disclosure: I received this box for review purposes. I was not compensated in any way. All opinions are my own. Post may contain affiliate and/or referral links.
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