Tobacco- faba bean -rice rotation is one of the important technical measures for optimizing soil structure, reducing pest and disease incidence, and improving the quality of tobacco leaves in tobacco-growing areas. To enrich the resource of high-quality rice varieties suitable for the tobacco- faba bean-rice rotation in Yuxi, Yunnan, this study explored the feasibility of introducing high-quality early-maturing japonica rice varieties from Heilongjiang to the Yuxi tobacco-growing area. Using cold-region high-quality japonica rice varieties Longdao 18, Longdao 21, Songgeng 9 and Songgeng 22 as experimental materials, a field comparative trial was conducted in Yuxi City, Yunnan Province, and Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province in 2023. In terms of light and heat resources, the active accumulated temperature during the rice growing season(May to September) in Yuxi, Yunnan, and Harbin, Heilongjiang, was 3,344.5 ℃ and 3,076.4 ℃, respectively, with average temperatures of 21.9 ℃ and 20.1 ℃, daily temperature ranges of 9.3 ℃ and 10.6 ℃, and sunshine hours of 737.0 h and 1,226.6 h, respectively. In terms of growth and development, the days from transplanting to maturity for Longdao 18, Longdao 21, Songgeng9 and Songgeng 22 in Yuxi were shortened by 6 d, 4 d, 5 d, and 4 d, respectively, compared to Harbin. Among them, the days from transplanting to tillering were shortened by 13 d, 12 d, 12 d, and 11 d, respectively; the days from tillering to initial heading were shortened by 14 d, 13 d, 14 d, and 18 d, respectively; the days from initial heading to full heading were increased by 6 d, 3 d, 4 d, and 3 d, respectively; and the days from full heading to maturity were increased by 15 d, 18 d, 17 d, and 22 d, respectively. In terms of yield, compared to Harbin, the actual yield of Longdao 21 and Songgeng 22 in Yuxi increased by 2.82% and 9.04%, respectively, while the actual yield of Longdao 18 and Songgeng 9 decreased by 4.89% and 6.55%, respectively. Except for Songgeng 22, the yield differences between the two locations for the other varieties did not reach a significant level. Further analisis of the yield composition factors of various varieties revealed the number of panicles per unit area increased, but there was a downward trend in the number of grains per panicle, seed setting rate, and thousand-grain weight for most varieties. The number of grains per unit area (number of panicles per unit area × number of grains per panicle) was the key factor affecting yield changes. In terms of quality traits, the brown rice rate, milled rice rate, whole milled rice rate, taste value, and amylose content of all varieties decreased to varying degrees, while the protein content generally increased; there was no clear pattern in the changes of chalky grain rate and chalkiness degree. In summary, Yuxi, Yunnan, has similar light and heat resources to Harbin, Heilongjiang, during the rice growing season. The introduction of Heilongjiang rice varieties to Yuxi can effectively shorten the period from transplanting to maturity, better adapting to the tobacco- faba bean-rice rotation mode. Introducing varieties with a higher number of panicles can help ensure rice yield under the tobacco- faba bean-rice rotation mode.