It started with 2 best friends...

What started as a simple ask between two best friends—“Can you bring me some snacks from Japan?”—quickly turned into a mission to share the magic of Japanese treats with the UK.

We’re Sam (UK) and Ethan (Japan), at the time university and lifelong friends. Despite being separated by over 9,000 kilometers, we stayed close through late-night calls, memes, and—most importantly—snack swaps. Every time Ethan visited, Sam would stock up on exclusive Japanese snacks that were nearly impossible to find back home.

The problem? Ordering Japanese snacks online was either outrageously expensive or painfully slow. Cheap boxes from Amazon were filled with generic, low-quality items—barely worth 5% of what we paid. And the good stuff? Weeks to arrive, with shipping costs that made our wallets cry.

So we thought: Why not build a better way?

✨ Shikabox Was Born

We decided to create a UK-based company that imports directly from local Japanese artisans—the kind of makers you’d only find selling their specialties at rural train stations or tucked-away markets. No mass-produced, convenience-store snacks here. Just genuine, regional delights crafted with care.

Thanks to our savings (and a little help from early supporters), we got funding and started building our dream from the ground up. But we didn’t rush it.

We designed, prototyped, and tested everything from the ground up, hand-packing boxes and sending them to friends, family, and brave local testers.

Shika Box prototype #1

Here’s one of our earliest prototypes! It wasn’t perfect, but it was packed with passion—and the feedback we received helped us refine every detail.

Shika Box prototype #2

Soon, word spread. Our little project found fans beyond our circles. What started as local deliveries turned into a growing community of Japanese snack lovers across the UK.

🚀 What Makes Shikabox Different?

Shikabox's First Customer

• Authenticity First: We don’t buy from big suppliers. Our snacks are made by small-batch artisans in Japan who prepare them just for us.

• Freshness Guaranteed: These snacks aren’t sitting on shelves—they’re made to order, shipped in bulk to the UK, and sent straight to your door.

• Fast & Affordable: Because we operate locally in the UK, you skip international shipping delays and sky-high import fees.

• Curated With Heart: Every snack is carefully chosen to reflect Japan’s rich culture, traditions, and regional flavors.

There’s one catch:Because our snacks are natural and freshly made, they don’t last forever. So open up, dig in, and share them fast—they’re meant to be enjoyed in the moment.

🌍 More Than a Snack Box

At its core, Shikabox is about more than munchies. It’s about bringing people closer, one bite at a time. In a world that often feels divided, food has the power to connect us—to tell stories, bridge cultures, and spark curiosity.

With Shikabox, we’re delivering a little piece of Japan to your doorstep, made with love, packed with flavor, and shipped with purpose.

Thanks for being part of this journey.We’re just getting started. 🍱✈️🇯🇵