What's in the box? It's scary but fun—a classic crowd-pleaser.
“What’s in the Box?” is a classic, crowd-pleasing game that livens up parties and events! The rules are simple: you stick your hand into a box where you can’t see the contents and guess what’s inside based only on how it feels.
The suspense and surprise make it beloved by people of all ages.
Using items with distinctive textures—like scouring pads or slime—virtually guarantees big reactions and excited faces the moment someone reaches in, sending the whole venue into a buzz.
In this article, we’ll introduce recommended materials—from staple items perfect for hyping up your event to unexpected, quirky objects that add an extra twist!
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Ideas for what's inside a box using ingredients (1–10)
Pineapple
Food and drinks are essential for any party.
It’s also a great idea to enjoy the item that was the answer to a game together afterwards.
The perfect item for that plan is, without a doubt, the pineapple.
If you touch it without knowing what it is, the sharp, spiky leaves and prickly skin can only be described as terrifying.
If the host sets it up by saying something like, “Do you like spiky, prickly animals? Since you’re strong, you wouldn’t mind getting bitten a little, right?” the effect will be tremendous.
Placing it on a rotating stand is a nice touch, too!
bitter melon
There was a segment on Fuji TV’s variety show “Hanamaru-Daikichi & Chidori no Teppan Itadakimasu” where they played this game, and the person who came up with the items to put in the box was none other than Madame Dewi.
She chose a pineapple and a lizard, and the combination was just the right kind of scary—so much so that the comedians praised her choices.
Combining one thing with another is definitely worth considering! For example, the bumpy texture of bitter melon (goya) is unpleasant on its own, but if you coat the goya with olive oil to add a slimy feel, it could become an even creepier item.
The possibilities for extra-plus ideas seem endless!
mushroom
How about researching the guests’ “least favorite foods” in advance, and when it’s their turn, presenting that very food? For example, if someone hates mushrooms, they probably don’t even want to touch them.
Without realizing it, they’d end up handling them a bunch, and when the answer is revealed, they’d exclaim, “What? I absolutely hate mushrooms!”—and the whole room would burst into laughter.
Conversely, if there’s a mushroom expert, you’d get the reverse pattern of them quickly identifying each one: “This is an oyster mushroom,” “This is a maitake,” and so on.
It sounds like a great way to get the most out of ‘What’s in the box?’!
octopus
Although many countries around the world have traditions of eating octopus, it seems that actively eating raw octopus is a custom mostly found in the East.
There are also countries, such as India and Israel, where octopus is not eaten or is prohibited.
If it’s a live octopus wriggling inside a box, it can be quite off-putting.
You could place it in an aquarium or set it on a strainer—if the octopus is lively and moving… it might even cause some screams! Since an octopus bite can cause injury, maybe a smaller one is better? Boiled octopus is cute, too, and for children you could use an octopus plush toy.
Please choose appropriately depending on the time, place, and occasion.
noodles
Since it’s such a crowd-pleasing game, it could be fun to turn it into an attraction for a school culture festival or campus festival.
As for items to put in the box, something cheap, easy to get, and unexpectedly gross might be noodles.
If you use udon, toss it with a bit of oil after boiling so it doesn’t clump.
It’ll feel slimy to the touch and won’t hold its shape, which should be really icky.
If you want to do the classic “What’s in the box?” gag, you could just place a bowl of ramen inside the box and have someone stick their hand in and react with “Ouch, hot!”—that would definitely get laughs.
Just don’t use actually piping-hot ramen.
shrimp
In the end, I think the scariest things are “living creatures that move.” If you’re going to play this game, it might be good to have two or three moving things ready! If you’re using shrimp as ingredients, you can probably find them at a supermarket or fishmonger.
As for live shrimp, if you have an aquarium, you can let them swim in it, and if not, you can let them hop around on a strainer—either way, it’s guaranteed to liven things up! Even if it’s not alive, a sea cucumber is just plain gross, so if they’re sold in the same section, it wouldn’t hurt to buy one! Please be sure not to engage in any needless killing.
pickled plum
Despite its small size, umeboshi makes a striking impression.
The moment you pick it up, its distinctive stickiness and softness, along with the crinkled surface feel, are hard to describe and make it difficult to identify—part of its charm.
Chilling it adds another layer to the tactile experience, and the contrast between its moist texture and cool temperature stimulates participants’ imagination.
Because it can also give off a sour aroma, partially covering the nose in addition to using a blindfold will increase the challenge.
Tricks like hiding it among other ingredients are also effective.
Rich in tactile information, this small item can leave a powerful impression.
