People’s preferences for Japanese sweet potatoes, now in season, have shifted from fluffy textures to sweeter, creamier varieties.

Beyond the classic roasted or dried options, new desserts featuring the root vegetable are capturing the attention of many.

A sweet potato festival opened in Todoroki Ryokuchi Park in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, on Nov. 1.

The event boasted 15 booths from specialty shops nationwide, showcasing a wide variety of sweet potato desserts―dumplings, tarts and gelatos.

“The sweets look cute and taste amazing,” said a 21-year-old university student from Tokyo who visited with her friend. “I ate way too much gelato!”

The event attracted families and female visitors, drawing more than 50,000 people by the final day on Nov. 4.

Sweet potato desserts are evolving.

Kotaro Bussan, based in Hokota, Ibaraki Prefecture, offers a roasted sweet potato drink made only with locally grown Beni Haruka sweet potatoes and milk, priced at 500 yen ($3.20).

The cafe attached to its store sells around 1,000 cups each month and sees many repeat customers.

It also offers a take-home pouch, and the drink can even be enjoyed in soups such as potage.

“High in fiber, the drink is popular with women. It’s also well-received for being easy to drink for the elderly,” said Kota Onuma, 36, head of Kotaro Bussan.

At Potato Labo Asakusa, a specialty sweet potato shop in Tokyo’s Taito Ward, the popular dessert is a roasted sweet potato brulee topped with caramelized custard and vanilla ice cream, priced at 700 yen.

The shop is operated by Sakuma-Setsubi Co. an air conditioning installation company that ventured into the dessert industry two years ago, using locally grown sweet potatoes.

“We value the natural sweetness of sweet potatoes,” the shop manager said. “Our desserts are popular with younger people, especially because they look good on social media.”

Sweet potatoes are now said to be entering their fourth wave of popularity across the ages.

During the Edo Period (1603-1867), when sugar was precious, they became a treat. This was followed by the opening of specialty shops after the Meiji Restoration and the spread of stone-roasted sweet potatoes after World War II.

Today, as health-consciousness rises, sweet potatoes are being rediscovered as a guilt-free dessert, with especially sweet and sticky varieties growing in popularity.

According to the agriculture ministry, Koganesengan―a variety with mild sweetness and a fluffy texture commonly used in shochu and “imo kenpi” (crispy sweet potato sticks)―was the preferred type for many years and even called the “king of sweet potatoes.”

Recently, however, Beni Haruka has overtaken the long-standing favorite Koganesengan in cultivation area. The variety is characterized by its sticky texture and powerful sweetness and is commonly used for roasting.

The area dedicated to Beni Haruka harvested in 2022 reached 7,055 hectares, accounting for 21.9 percent of the total sweet potato fields. This is nearly double the area of 2015's crop.

This surpassed Koganesengan’s 6,613 hectares, or 20.5 percent of the total, for the first time.

Although the total cultivation area for sweet potatoes in Japan has declined by more than 10 percent compared to a decade ago, the export value has increased nearly ninefold. In 2023, exports reached a record high of 2.89 billion yen ($19 million).

Japanese sweet potatoes and their strong sweetness are highly popular in Singapore and Thailand. Year-round sales at overseas discount stores run by the operator of Japanese chain Don Quijote support their wide appeal. They are sold as “hot sweets” in 46 stores across Asia and one in Guam.

“In today’s world, where social media is the norm, trends change quickly,” a representative of the operator said. “Even roasted sweet potatoes, which rely on their natural flavor, are no exception―we need to keep exploring new ways to enjoy them.”

“Sweet potato-based sweets and drinks are increasingly available, especially in convenience stores,” said Ayuki Hashimoto, 46, head of the Sweet Potato Ambassador Association, which promotes the popularity of sweet potatoes.

“It’s no longer just a trend―eating sweet potatoes is becoming a part of daily life,” he said.