White sesame seeds are cleaned, soaked and dried before being pressed. Only the first pressing is used for this oil; only 12 kg of oil is obtained from 40 kg of sesame seeds, which corresponds to a yield of 30%. After pressing, the oil is slowly cooled. Hot water is then added, stirred and left to stand for a month to allow impurities and suspended matter to settle. The sesame oil is then drained and heated in a container over a wood fire. Before it is bottled, it is filtered through Japanese paper (washi). Sesame oil is used in both traditional and modern Japanese cuisine to cook and flavour dishes.