Doki Doki is a monthly Kawaii subscription box created by Japan Crate. Each month, subscribers will receive 5-7 fully licensed authentic Japanese items ranging from wearables, plushies, accessories, collectibles and more. Subscriptions start at $30.00 per month with free shipping to the U.S.

The Homespun Chics paid for this subscription. All opinions are 100% our own.

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December 2016 Doki Doki Crate

I just couldn’t help myself and succumbed to the Cyber Monday deals this year. I decided to purchase a few different boxes to try out, including Doki Doki Crate! I have always loved really cute kawaii items and still find myself collecting super adorable things. (Much to Jonathan’s dismay, I’m absolutely hooked on vinyl tsum tsums!) I saw that Japan Crate was having a sale and jumped on the opportunity to grab a Doki Doki Crate at a discount!

The Cost:  $30.00 month-to-month (free U.S. shipping)

COUPON GOODNESS!!!

Save $3.00 off your first subscription using code: HOMESPUNCHICS

Everything about this box is super kawaii! The bright colors and cute characters made my heart smile. December marked Doki Doki’s 1st anniversary so there were chances for subscribers to win fun prizes and coupons!

I love scratch-off cards! I just realized that we forgot to get scratch-off lotto cards for the family this year. It became a tradition a few years ago and we completely spaced on it… dang it. Anyway, I enjoyed the suspense here and ended up receiving a 50% off coupon to the Japan Crate store (found HERE) where anyone, not just subscribers, can purchase items that were in previous crates. I took advantage of my coupon code and purchased some winky-faced vinyl tsum tsums and hoppe-chans! Yay!

December 2016 Theme:  1 Year Anniversary Holiday Celebration

The information booklet opens from right to left (manga-style) and features artwork by a Japan Crate team member named Tomo. 🙂

Each month’s booklet contains a fun comic to enjoy! I’m not sure if the storyline connects from month to month, but I love the drawings. So cute!

The center of the booklet details all of the items inside the crate. I love all the pictures and descriptions!

As though receiving a ridiculously adorable crate full of kawaii items wasn’t enough — each month, one lucky subscriber is randomly chosen to win the Suteki Crate filled with huge plushies, cool gadgets and all things sparkling! Wowee!!

Mameshiba Cellphone Cleaner

Amuse’s “Bean Shiba Inu” are round and cute just like their namesake. The characters are 3 Shiba Inu brothers named Mametaro, Mamejiro, and Mamesaburo, but are also joined by a new doggie friend named Sasuke! These cellphone cleaners are perfect for cleaning your phone after a long day of taking photos with friends and family.

Little G claimed this puppy as soon as I opened our crate. I didn’t realize it was a cellphone screen cleaner until well after Little G dragged it all around the house and used it to pet the cats. Oh well! The underside of the plushy is a square of material that is soft enough to wipe dirt and oil off the screen without scratching it.

Homeroom Bear “Calvin”

Calvin is a bright British foreign exchange student, dressed here in a classic plaid scarf instead of his usual gakuran. Coco is a kindhearted but airheaded schoolgirl and is dressed fashionably in a red shawl to match her signature red bow.

Subscribers received one of the two Homeroom Bears in their crate. I got the British foreign exchange student, Calvin, and isn’t he the cutest in his plaid scarf? For the record, Little G said this is my puppy. He told me quite clearly that this was not a bear.

Usa Loppy Squeaker (Anniversary Bonus Item)

This tiny squeaker is a perfect stress reliever during the busy and hectic holiday season. Usa Loppy’s cuteness is also sure to help you get through even the most stressful of days.

Apparently, Doki Doki included little tags with unique coupon codes on several of these little squeaker bunnies. I was not lucky enough to receive one but still adore this cute bunny all the same!

Amuse Pote Usa Loppy Eco Bag

Want to stay green but be kawaii while doing it? This reusable bag is an Amuse x Doki Doki exclusive and it features everyone’s favorite floppy eared bunny, Pote Usa Loppy! Amuse is a famous Japanese arcade prize maker known for their adorable animal characters making this bag a rare collector’s item that is as functional as it is cute. Whit Xmas just around the corner, it’ll also be perfect for your next shopping trip and for carrying around those heavy presents!

I can ALWAYS use more reusable totes! I do my best to carry a handful of them when going to the grocery store to cut down on waste. I can’t get over this precious bunny!

Here’s the bag opened up! The bag itself is quite large and seems sturdy enough to hold a decent amount of groceries. I was able to fold the bag up the way it arrived and tuck it back into the tiny carrying case, though I’m not sure how long that will last once the creases wear down!

Fluffy Pink Pen

If you’re planning on writing a letter to Santa, be sure to do it in style with this adorable and unique pen. Even after the holidays are over, you’ll be able to sport this pen on the daily — in class or at work — making you the most kawaii of them all.

Holy fluff ball! I did not take the pen out of its wrapper since I’m positive I’ll be gifting this to someone a bit younger than myself (or more young-at-heart). The pen is quite fun and I would be tempted to use it regardless of the giant poof up top, but I prefer gel pens to roller balls. (I’m a pen snob like that.)

Daily Organizer

2016 is almost over and one way to begin working on those New Year’s Resolutions is with a daily organizer. Stay organized in the New Year with a planner decorated with kawaii-fied symbols of Japan including Mt. Fuji, a daruma, and a kokeshi doll.

I will most likely be gifting this planner as well! One of my girlfriends has a 7-year old daughter who would go nuts over this cute planner! It is really tiny, measuring around 5″ x 6.5″.

The binding is made of hot pink plastic which hold full-color pages that are filled with sweet illustrations. There’s even a page of Japanese translations!

There are monthly page layouts that alternate between purple, blue, and pink. Also (not photographed) are lined pages for notes or journaling! Since the planner is so tiny, you would really need to write quite small in all of the boxes.

Paw Gloves

Let’s face it. It’s hard to stay kawaii when it’s freezing out but these paw gloves will do the trick! They’re gray and pink, a fashionable color combo in Japan this winter. The gloves are furry and warm and even have holes for your fingers so that your paws look like they have claws. And if you’ve ever been worried about not being able to use your smartphone with gloves on, look no further because with your fingers free you can do that too! Never miss a text from a loved one this holiday season.

This was a huge miss for me personally, but I know a delightful fellow cat lady in my orchestra that will absolutely adore these gloves! Basically these are very furry fingerless gloves that turn your hands into kitty paws!

Monthly Hoppe Chan

Hoppe Chan is ready for her Xmas date, dressed in white like the falling snow and wearing a festive red bow. Hear Xmas present is ready and a Xmas tree has been trimmed just in time for Santa to arrive!

Not going to lie… I pulled this little figurine out of the box and instantly considered getting a larger subscription length just to continue collecting Hoppe-Chan! She is a DOLL!

The base is shaped like a cupcake or peanut butter cup and is made of a brown plastic. The top, however, is super sparkly, made of silicone and is decorated with little beads and jewel embellishments. At the top sits our little silicone Hoppe-Chan girl posing next to a bright red present in front of her Christmas tree. Each Hoppe-Chan is individually made by hand and decorated to fit different themes. I can’t get over how delightfully squishy she is and have instantly become obsessed. So I may have purchased three Hoppe-Chans that came in previous Doki Doki crates…

Final Thoughts

I think I’m in love! If I didn’t have adult responsibilities that require me to put my money toward “useful” things like a mortgage and groceries (booooring), I would have no problem shelling out $30 per month to continue with this adorable subscription! Everything about this box shouts “kawaii” and I was very impressed with the variety of items inside. I consider a subscription box a success when I keep over 50% of the items and can gift the rest.

It is completely possible that I overlooked cancelling my subscription before the January boxes were charged so, oh darn, I might have another month coming to me!

What do you all think of this box? Love it or leave it? Let me know in the comments below!!

xo
Sarah