The purpose of the present invention is to provide refined sesame oil comprising a lot of lignans that have various excellent physiological properties from sesame seeds having a high lignan content. The present invention relates to refined sesame oil having a sesamin content of 1% by weight or more and showing no bitterness; a method for the production of refined sesame oil comprising using active carbon as an absorbent in a bleaching step; a method for the production of refined sesame oil comprising controlling a bleaching temperature in a range of from 5 to 70.degree. C. in a bleaching step with the use of activated clay active as an absorbent; and a method for the production of refined sesame oil comprising controlling a bleaching temperature in a range of from 5 to 70.degree. C. in a bleaching step with the use of activated clay of from 0.1 to 3% by weight active as an absorbent.