In my family—we are Filipino—we have always used Kadoya, from Japan. For those who think Kadoya tastes "burned", you should know that Kadoya sesame oil is pretty much considered the gold standard by which all other brands are judged, much like Kikkoman is widely regarded as the standard of excellence in shōyu. Toasted sesame oil is meant to be used as a seasoning, only, not as a general cooking oil. It is used is very, very small amounts. If you want to cook with sesame oil, you need to find oil that is untoasted. If it's not specifically marked "raw" or "untoasted" or the like, it's probably toasted, especially if it's a Chinese or Japanese brand.
Check with Indian markets; I have had good success finding untoasted sesame seed oil for cooking at Indian markets, because raw sesame oil is commonly used as a cooking oil in India. The particular Indian brand I used to buy in New Jersey escapes me at the moment. If you can't find any, Spectrum Organics and Napa Valley Naturals both market raw/untoasted sesame oil, though the prices are high. I do like to keep some around, though, because I occasionally use it in certain dishes where I want sesame oil, but don't want the very powerful flavor of the Kadoya oil.
As far as miso is concerned, I have most often bought Marukome brand, which is the largest brand of miso in Japan. Are there better ones? Probably, but Marukome is like buying Heinz ketchup or Hellmann's mayonnaise in the US. It's good enough for most people. By the way, there's no "yellow" miso; it's "shiro miso" (白味噌), which means "white miso", as opposed to "aka miso" (赤味噌）or "red miso", which is aged longer. Leave white miso on the shelf for a long time, and it will turn into red miso. The longer it ages, the stronger the flavour.
What I will *not* do is buy the Americanised brands of Asian foods, like Eden Foods, San-J, etc. Many of these brands are high quality goods sourced directly from Asia, but the price differential compared to buying Asian brands in Asian markets is astronomical. The same is true of the upscale American-made brands you find in co-op stores, gourmet stores, and health food stores. Don't be afraid to ask your Asian friends what they use; if you don't have any Asian friends, *make* friends! Although I read some Japanese and can generally differentiate Japanese products fairly easily, I don't read Chinese, at all, and have a lot of difficulty, for instance, choosing between different Chinese producers of Shiaoxing wine. The more people are willing to buy actual Asian brands, the easier it will be for me to find them. I currently live in a town where the nearest Asian market is about an hour's drive away, and they only stock about half the items I am accustomed to using.
