TokyoTreat Member Spotlight #2

Hey TokyoTreat Fam! We’re back with another interview with a member of the TokyoTreat community! We were lucky enough to get to know them a little better, so let’s dive in!

Name: Elak Swindell
Age: 51
From: Georgia USA

What’s your favorite…
Japanese Snack: Hot Maple Dorayaki
Video Game: Psychonauts 2, Power Washer Simulator, Subnautica.
Hobby: Collecting floaty action pens; movie audio commentaries; 1980’s music and soundtracks; sharing rare songs on my YT channel, etc.
Anime: AKIRA, Ghost in the Shell films/TV series, all of Hayao Miyazaki’s movies, Bubblegum Crisis series, Dominion Tank Police, Millennium Actress, Riding Bean, Paprika, and many more.

Getting to Know Elak

1. How did you first discover Japanese snacks?
   I’ve been a fan of Japanese foods and snacks since I was very young, thanks to my grandmother. She would share treats from Chinatown in Los Angeles, like the Botan Ame rice candy, or we would go out with the family to Asian restaurants and I’d see snacks there.
   
2. How did you first hear about TokyoTreat?
   After someone told me about TT beginning their subscription. I immediately signed on with the first release and have been enjoying the monthly boxes ever since, which shows on my YouTube channel considering that I’ve been doing unboxings from then ‘til now.
   
3. What made you decide to join our community?
   I like to partake in the chatting fun from time to time, and it’s enjoyable to see other fans loving their boxes full of treats.
   
4. Do you enjoy your box throughout the month, or do you prefer to devour everything as quickly as possible?
   Some boxes are eaten fairly quickly, depending on what is in them; while most treats will last quite awhile. I still have a box full of assorted smaller items that I’m slowly going through with snacks from months past.
   
5. What was your favorite TokyoTreat box so far?
   I really couldn’t narrow it down to a specific box since they are all unique and different in snacks/candies/drink.
   
6. What is your favorite snack from a TokyoTreat box?
   Well, starting from way back in the beginning TT boxes, I instantly fell in love Hot Maple Dorayaki and continue to get a box of them every so often from a seller on eBay.
   
7. What is your favorite thing about TokyoTreat?
   It’s fun to taste new things from a different culture, especially one with such a rich, fascinating and wild history, which in turn, influences the massive variety of snacks, candies and drinks that are available.
   
8. What is a future theme you’d like to see us create in the future?
   I believe the immediate answer from any anime fan would be one based around Hayao Miyazaki’s films.
   
9. What Japanese snacks would you like to see more of in the future?
   More never-before-shared items.
   
10. What is your favorite Japanese food outside of snacks and candy?
    I like sushi.
    
11. Have you ever been to Japan?
    No, I haven’t been to Japan, though I would love to if at all possible. If I could visit, I’d definitely check out the various hot spots in Tokyo, which is always on any tourist’s agenda. It would also be enjoyable to see local communities and maybe Mt. Fuji.

Thank you Elak for taking the time to chat with us!

You too could be a part of the wonderful TokyoTreat fam! Join us, snack out on plenty of delicious snacks and get involved with the community! Come and hang out any time!