In 60 seconds: Black sesame paste — the glossy, nutty condiment behind Japanese neri-goma and Chinese sesame desserts — is oddly hard to find in American stores. We checked Weee!, Kokoro Cares, Amazon, H Mart, 99 Ranch, Walmart, and more, brand by brand, so you know exactly where to look and where not to bother.
- Weee! (sayweee.com) is the most verifiable option: its own site lists black sesame paste from Kadoya, Katagi, Aohata, Liubiju, Nanfang, and more, roughly $5.40–$16.90.
- Kokoro Cares, a US Japanese grocery site, stocks black neri-goma at $10.00 — a solid second verified online source.
- Amazon carries real listings — search "black sesame paste" or "neri goma black" for Kadoya, Marumoto, and aSerious — but check seller ratings first.
- H Mart, 99 Ranch, Mitsuwa, and Nijiya may stock it in-store, but none had a verifiable online listing — call ahead. Walmart doesn't sell it at all (only tahini).
If you've ever hunted for black sesame paste in an American grocery store, you know the frustration: search results give you seeds, a Walmart listing for the wrong product, and forum threads from 2019. Nobody wrote the US store-by-store version. So we did.
What it is — and what it isn't
Black sesame paste is roasted black sesame seeds ground into a thick, glossy paste — nutty, deeply savory, jet black. In Japanese cooking it's kuro neri-goma, a pantry staple; in Chinese kitchens it's 黑芝麻酱, the base of sesame desserts and dipping sauces. (The photo up top shows it the classic way — in a bowl, ready to eat.)
What it isn't: sesame seeds (a topping, not a spread), tahini (hulled white sesame, milder), or sweetened black sesame powder mixes (instant dessert soup with sugar and fillers). If the label says "tahini," it's not what you want — and half the US search results confuse these.
Where to actually find it — the store-by-store list
Everything below was checked against the retailers' own sites on October 21, 2026:
Weee! (sayweee.com) — verified, our top pick. The strongest option anywhere. Weee's own site lists a dedicated black sesame paste selection: house brand 300g ($6.99–$7.49), Kadoya (~$7.99), Katagi 120g ($5.40–$5.99), Aohata 140g ($6.99), Liubiju 150g ($15.88–$16.90), Nanfang sugar-free ($7.79), Cai Lin Ji 200g ($13.90). Marketplace prices shift, but the listings are real — the only retailer we could verify end to end.
Kokoro Cares (kokorocares.com) — verified. This US Japanese grocery site lists black neri-goma at $10.00, in stock. A clean second option from a specialist rather than a marketplace.
Amazon — search, don't browse. Real listings exist: Kadoya black neri-goma, Marumoto Jun Neri Goma (from Tokyo's Takemoto, pressing sesame oil since 1725), and aSerious organic (250g, thousands of ratings). Search "black sesame paste" or "neri goma black" — and check seller ratings, because third-party food sellers vary.
H Mart, 99 Ranch, Mitsuwa, Nijiya — in-store, maybe. Shoppers report spotting neri-goma in the condiment aisle, but none had a verifiable online product page. Call your local store and ask for "kuro neri-goma" before driving over.
Walmart — don't bother. It sells tahini and white sesame paste (roughly $4–$9), but no black sesame paste anywhere. A search result sending you there is sending you to the wrong product.
Yamibuy — couldn't confirm. Sesame-adjacent products, but no black sesame paste listing we could verify.
Why it matters
Black sesame paste sits in a weird American retail blind spot: too niche for mainstream supermarkets, too everyday in Asian cooking to be a specialty import. So nobody built the definitive guide — until now.
Brands help too. Japanese cooks reach for Kadoya, Katagi, or Aohata; Chinese kitchens swear by Liubiju (六必居) and Nanfang (南方) for desserts. Skip Wangzhihe for this purpose — its paste is the white kind for hotpot. And Korean heukimja exists, but we found no Korean brand with a verifiable US listing.
Impact on the USA and the world
For most of America this is still a special-trip ingredient: a Weee! order or a drive to the nearest H Mart. At roughly $5–$17 a jar — comparable to good tahini, and it lasts months — the demand is clearly there. Weee! wouldn't stock seven brands otherwise. Asian condiments keep crossing over — gochujang did it, chili crisp did it — and black sesame, already in American desserts and lattes, looks next in line.
What happens next
If a mainstream chain picks it up, expect a Japanese neri-goma brand like Kadoya first — the most export-ready, with packaging already built for Western shelves. Until then, online Asian grocers will keep widening their lead on selection.
Our take: order from Weee! if you want it this week with zero guesswork — the best verified selection in the country right now. Prefer browsing in person? Call your nearest H Mart or 99 Ranch and ask for it by name. And read the label: if it says tahini, put it back.
Frequently asked questions
Is black sesame paste the same as tahini?
No. Tahini is usually made from hulled white sesame seeds and tastes milder; black sesame paste uses roasted black seeds and is nuttier, darker, and more intense. They're not interchangeable in recipes built around the flavor.
Can I substitute black sesame seeds for the paste?
Not directly — seeds won't give you the smooth, spreadable texture. You can grind toasted black sesame seeds with a little neutral oil in a powerful blender, but store-bought paste is smoother and saves you the experiment.
Which brand of black sesame paste should I buy?
Japanese cooks reach for Kadoya, Katagi, or Aohata neri-goma; Chinese brands like Liubiju (六必居) and Nanfang (南方) are the dessert classics. All were listed on Weee! when we checked.
How should I store black sesame paste?
Keep an unopened jar in a dark, cool place away from sunlight. Once opened, refrigerate it and use it within 4–6 months — and don't panic at oil separation on top; that's normal for natural sesame paste. Just stir it back in.