Autumn Flavors Fair | A Guide to Japanese Autumn Foods in Saigon (Sweet Potato, Chestnut, New-Crop Rice)

Even in Ho Chi Minh City, you can enjoy Japan’s “appetite of autumn.” The stars of this season are three: sweet potato, chestnut, and new-crop rice (2025 harvest). All are in season from around September to November, and with the Farmi app they arrive in as little as one hour within the city. Start with these three, and the faraway Japanese autumn table comes right back to your room in Saigon.

When the climate feels like summer all year round, it can be hard to sense the changing of the seasons. That’s exactly why a single seasonal ingredient becomes a signal that says, “Ah, it’s autumn now.” As of October 2024, there were 17,410 Japanese residents living in Vietnam (the Ho Chi Minh City breakdown is TBD). There are plenty of friends in this city who, just like you, long for the tastes of the season (Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Survey of Japanese Nationals Living Abroad (VIETJO)).

The Three Autumn Flavors to Stock This Season (Quick Reference)

Ingredient	Season	Nutrition Highlights	Recommended Ways to Enjoy
Sweet potato	Sep–Nov	Rich in dietary fiber, vitamin C, and potassium	Baked sweet potato, daigakuimo, sweet potato rice
Chestnut	Autumn (from Sep)	Rich in potassium, vitamin B1, and dietary fiber	Chestnut rice, kanroni (candied chestnuts), Mont Blanc
New-crop rice (2025 harvest)	In stores Sep–Nov	Fresh-cooked aroma, sweetness, and juiciness	Plain rice, onigiri, chestnut rice

Sweet Potato: The Easiest Way to a Fluffy, Warm Autumn

The easiest entry point into autumn’s flavors is the sweet potato. Its season runs from around September to November. Among root vegetables it’s especially high in dietary fiber — a medium one (about 200g) provides more than 4g of dietary fiber even without the skin. It also contains vitamin C and potassium, making it a welcome dish on days when puffiness is a concern (Sources: oishi-kenko, column supervised by a registered dietitian, Kurashiru).

To enjoy at home, start with these three:

• Baked sweet potato (yaki-imo): Cook slowly at low heat in the oven or toaster. The sweetness deepens noticeably.
• Daigakuimo (candied sweet potato): Great as a snack, or as a side in your bento.
• Sweet potato rice: Paired with the new-crop rice below, it becomes a feast all on its own.

Cooking with the skin on keeps the color and flavor vivid. Just wash it well before use.

Chestnut: The More Effort You Put In, the Deeper Autumn Feels

The chestnut is an autumn delicacy worth a little extra effort. It contains about 420mg of potassium per 100g — more than a banana — along with a good balance of vitamin B1 and dietary fiber. From chestnut rice and kanroni to Mont Blanc, its versatility across mains and sweets is part of its charm (Sources: medipalette (Lotte), Magokoro Care Shoku).

When prepping raw chestnuts feels like too much work, choosing pre-treated or pre-peeled chestnuts makes chestnut rice realistic even on a weekday. Just add new-crop rice, peeled chestnuts, a little salt, and sake to the rice cooker, and the aroma of autumn spreads through the whole room.

New-Crop Rice (2025 Harvest): The Fresh-Cooked Aroma of This Season Only

The foundation of the autumn table is new-crop rice. By the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries’ standard, “new-crop rice” is rice harvested that year and milled and packaged by December 31 of the same year. The timing shifts by region — southern Kyushu starts early, while Hokkaido and Tohoku peak around October — and it generally reaches store shelves from September to November (Sources: JA Niigata Kagayaki, Gottso Blog, SMART AGRI).

New-crop rice is known for being juicy and fragrant. That’s precisely why this is the season to first taste the rice itself, simply as plain white rice or onigiri. Farmi carries Japanese rice (such as Koshihikari). Please check the app for details on varieties and stock.

Storage Tips to Keep It Delicious

• Avoid direct sunlight, heat, and humidity; keep it in a cool place. This matters especially in Ho Chi Minh City’s climate.
• Transfer it to an airtight container and keep it away from strong-smelling foods.
• Finish it soon after opening. Rather than buying too much, restock in small amounts frequently.

Gather Japan’s Autumn All at Once with Farmi

To the question, “Where can I buy Japanese autumn ingredients?” Farmi has an answer. As an online Japanese grocery store for Ho Chi Minh City, we deliver Japanese rice and fresh ingredients in as little as one hour within the city. We offer Japanese-language customer support and carry products chosen with care for origin and quality.

• THẤU HIỂU (empathy): Bring “Japanese autumn” to your table with seasonal ingredients, even in a place where the seasons are hard to feel.
• AN TÂM (peace of mind): Japan-quality ingredients, backed by Japanese-language support.
• THUẬN TIỆN (convenience): Order the day the idea strikes, delivered in as little as one hour within the city.

Availability of autumn fresh produce like sweet potatoes and chestnuts changes with the season. Please check the app for the latest lineup. To start, open the Farmi app and search for “new-crop rice” and “Japanese autumn foods.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q. How long can I buy rice labeled as “new-crop”? A. Generally, rice milled and packaged within the harvest year (by December 31) is labeled as new-crop rice. The timing varies by growing region (Source).

Q. Do sweet potatoes and chestnuts keep well? A. Store sweet potatoes in a cool, well-ventilated place. Chestnuts are sensitive to drying out, so early cooking is recommended. In Ho Chi Minh City’s climate, aim for an amount you can use up rather than buying too much.

Q. What does Farmi deliver? A. We deliver Japanese rice, fresh ingredients, and more within Ho Chi Minh City in as little as one hour. Please check the app for specific products, prices, and stock (details TBD).

Autumn is the season when, even far from home, you’re reminded most of “Japan.” With these three — sweet potato, chestnut, and new-crop rice — bring Japan’s autumn home to your room in Saigon. Open the Farmi app and pick today’s dish.

Note: This article and some of its images were created with the help of AI (artificial intelligence) and reviewed by our editorial team before publication.

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