Kokoro Care Packages - Gourmet Food Delivered To You From Japan

Kokoro Care Packages – Receive Heartfelt Goods in the Mail from Japan

Imagine getting a box in the mail, filled with vegetables and groceries from your hometown sent by your parents, or a small box of local sweets from your friend who lives in a foreign country.

Have you experienced the feeling and excitement of seeing a care package sent by someone dear from far away? Kokoro Care Packages is a delivery service that does this, melting everyone’s heart with each care package they send from Japan.

Delivering Japan’s Best Ingredients to More than 35 Countries

SEASONAL DELIGHTS (US $95). Picture courtesy of Kokoro Care Packages

Kokoro Care Packages is a service that delivers hand-picked ingredients from Japan in small care packages to customers from overseas. This service allows you to receive Japanese food that is not that easily found outside of Japan, and even rare, local delicacies not carried by normal supermarkets in Japan. There is something for everyone in these care packages. Even foodies will surely find something to their liking.

They ship care packages to more than 35 countries, including the United States and Canada, various countries in Europe, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and other Asian countries (information is current as of April 2019).

NOURISHING ESSENTIALS (US $55) Picture courtesy of Kokoro Care Packages

There are two options you have when ordering. One is to receive one care package each month with the NOURISHING ESSENTIALS (US $55 per month). You can also choose to get a care package once every three months, which is the SEASONAL DELIGHTS option (US $95 per package).

There is also the GIFT plan, which allows you to order NOURISHING ESSENTIALS or the SEASONAL DELIGHTS once. The price of the packages is US $55 and US $95, respectively.

A Package Full of Local Gourmet Japanese Food Items

Picture courtesy of Kokoro Care Packages

The NOURISHING ESSENTIALS package consists of 5 or more items, and the SEASONAL DELIGHTS of seven or more items.

The contents often change, containing groceries like easily-preparable light meals and soups, spices, sauces, tea. Each package is made with goods made using natural, nutritious ingredients, free of chemical seasonings and preservatives. The word “kokoro” means “heart” in Japanese--this is a package that will surely bring joy to your heart and health.

Kokoro Care Packages also include a list of ingredients and explanations in English. This allows the customers to understand the producers’ heart and the story behind each of the goods included.

Osaka: Sugar-Free, Sweet Jam Made from Rice

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Some of the Kokoro Care Packages’ boxes in the past have included rare, popular items.

One such product was Brown Rice Jam, which was part of the NOURISHING ESSENTIALS collection in February 2019. This is a thick and flavorful jam produced in the town of Nose, Osaka. The jam is made by fermenting brown rice with minimal chemicals and mashing it to get naturally sweet, no-sugar, and no-honey jam.

This jam makes a great choice for vegetarians and those avoiding sugar.

Nose, located north of Osaka City, is surrounded by beautiful, vast nature. It takes about an hour by car to reach it from the Osaka metropolis. It is a wonderful place to visit when touring in Osaka. You can purchase Brown Rice Jam at the local roadside station Nose, Kuri no Sato.

Roadside Station Nose Kuri no Sato
Address: Osaka, Toyono, Nose, Hirano 535 Google Map
Official Website: https://www.facebook.com/mitinoekiNOSE/ (Japanese)

Nagasaki: Tea à la “Japan Blue”

Picture courtesy of http://foodology.ca/

Another standout product, found in the SEASONAL DELIGHTS from spring 2019, was Indigo Blue Tea. Indigo, and butterfly pea (*1), used as medicine in the past, are said to be very useful and have many benefits. They are grown without any pesticides or chemical fertilizers and left to dry in the sun to make tea. The tea is produced in Unzen, Nagasaki Prefecture, known for picturesque sea and mountain scenery.

Indigo, or ai in Japanese, is a plant that has been used as a dye for centuries in Japan. This is what produces a “Japan blue” color. If you pour water over the plant, it turns deep blue, just like the color of the sea of Nagasaki. You’re bound to fall in love with it.

This item will surely bring an exciting aspect to your meals. You can purchase Indigo Blue Tea at Atelier Aiakane in Unzen.

Atelier Aiakane
Address: Nagasaki, Unzen, Obama, Kitahon 1012 Google Map
Official Website: http://aiakane.com/en.html 

*1 Butterfly pea: a plant of Fabaceae family found in Asia. The flowers are used for making herbal tea.

Find Some Useful Recipes, too!

Picture courtesy of http://foodology.ca/

If you’re worried you won’t be able to use these unfamiliar ingredients correctly--don't be! There’s a solution that will give you peace of mind. Recipes written in English including ingredients you’ve received are contained in the package itself, and Kokoro Care Packages supplies countless easy-to-make recipes on their official website.

Even if you’re not familiar with Japanese cuisine, you can take this opportunity to try out some interesting recipes.

Delight Your Taste Buds Before or After Visiting Japan!

Kokoro Care Packages introduces a world of delicious and healthy ingredients from all over Japan. If there is an item you are intrigued by, why not visit the area where it comes from, or even meet the people who produce it during your stay in Japan?

Even after seeing Japan, you can have a care package delivered to you that will allow you to taste flavors you haven’t had the chance to try during your travel. It might deepen your understanding of Japanese cuisine.

We invite you to go on a tastebud adventure before or after you visit Japan with the help of Kokoro Care Packages!

Official Website: https://kokorocares.com/

*This article is about a service intended for people living outside Japan. Please mind that the packages cannot be delivered to Japanese addresses.

Made in cooperation with Kokoro Care Packages