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{{for|the surname|Toso (surname)}}
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[[Image:Otoso.jpg|thumb|240px|right|'''O-toso''' and three ''sakazuki'' lacquered [[Vermilion|vermillion]] cups]]
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{ref improve|date=February 2013}}
{{Italic title|reason=[[:Category:Japanese words and phrases]]}}
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[[File:Otoso.jpg|thumb|''O-toso'' and three ''sakazuki'' lacquered [[Vermilion|vermillion]] cups]]
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{{nihongo|'''''Toso'''''|[[:ja:屠蘇|屠蘇]]}}, or '''''o-toso''''', is [[spice]]d medicinal [[sake]] traditionally drunk during [[Japanese New Year]] celebrations. ''Toso'' is also known historically in China.


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== Culture ==
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{{nihongo|'''Toso'''|屠蘇}}, or '''o-toso''', is [[spice]]d medicinal [[sake]] traditionally drunk during [[Japanese New Year|New Year]] celebrations in [[Japan]].
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[[File:Toso by midorisyu.jpg|thumb|left|''O-toso'' also known as spiced sake.]]
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Toso is drunk to flush away the previous year's maladies and to aspire to lead a long life. For generations it has been said that "if one person drinks this his family will not fall ill; if the whole family does no-one in the village will fall ill" and has been a staple part of New Year's [[osechi]] cuisine in Japan.<ref name="metropolis">{{cite web|first=John|last=Gaunter|publisher=Metropolis Tokyo|title=Seasonal Sipping|url=http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/5612/sake.asp|access-date=6 January 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070121192256/http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/5612/sake.asp <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = 21 January 2007}}</ref>
[[File:Toso set in a musuem - kagawa - April 1 2021.webm|thumb|A toso set in a museum, 2021]]


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Toso is written using two [[kanji]]: [[wiktionary:蘇|蘇]] representing evil spirits and [[wiktionary:屠|屠]] meaning to slaughter.
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==Culture==
⚫
[[Image:Toso_by_midorisyu.jpg|thumb|left|'''O-toso''' also known as spiced sake.]]
⚫
Toso is drunk to flush away the previous year's maladies and to aspire to lead a long life. For generations it has been said that "if one person drinks this his family will not fall ill; if the whole family does no-one in the village will fall ill", and has been a staple part of New Year's [[osechi]] cuisine in Japan. <ref name="metropolis">{{cite web|first=John|last=Gaunter|publisher=Metropolis Tokyo|title=Seasonal Sipping|url=http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/5612/sake.asp|access date=2007-01-06}}</ref>


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Toso is made by combining several medicinal herbs to form {{nihongo|'''tososan'''|屠蘇散}}, a spicy mixture, which is then soaked in sake or [[mirin]]. If made with [[mirin]], essentially a sweet sake, it is suitable for drinking, but using fermented mirin seasoning would not be appropriate as it is too salty.
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Toso is written using two Japanese characters: [[wiktionary:蘇|蘇]] representing evil spirits and [[wiktionary:屠|屠]] meaning to defeat.


⚫
Three sizes of cup, called {{nihongo|'''sakazuki'''|盃}} (see picture), are used starting with the smallest and passed round with each family member or guest taking a sip. Drinking rituals differ by region, but in formal situations would proceed from youngest to eldest. This tradition originated in China in hope for children to grow faster whereas their elders to age slower. However, in Japan, around the beginning of the [[Meiji period|Meiji]] or [[Shōwa period|Shōwa]] periods, custom changed and the head of the household usually takes the first drink.
⚫
Toso is made by combining several medicinal herbs to form {{nihongo|'''tososan'''|屠蘇散}}, a spicy mixture, which is then soaked in [[sake]] or [[mirin]]. If made with [[mirin]], essentially a sweet sake, it is suitable for drinking, but using fermented mirin seasoning would not be appropriate as it is too salty.


⚫
The tradition of drinking toso at the New Year began in the [[Tang dynasty]] in China and was adopted by Japanese aristocrats during the [[Heian period]]. The first cup drunk would be made with tososan and the second and third cups with different varieties called ''byakusan'' and ''toshōsan''.
⚫
Three sizes of cup, called {{nihongo|'''sakazuki'''|盃}} (see picture), are used starting with the smallest, and passed round with each family member or guest taking a sip. Drinking rituals differ by region, but in formal situations would proceed from youngest to eldest. This tradition originated in China whereby the young effectively test the drink for toxins. However in Japan, around the beginning of the [[Meiji period|Meiji]] or [[Shōwa period|Shōwa]] periods, custom changed and the head of the household usually takes the first drink.


⚫
The drinking ceremony finally passed to the general public and doctors would give out tososan. Even today some chemists shops have retained the custom and give tososan away as a free gift at the end of the year.<ref name="metropolis" />
⚫
The tradition of drinking toso at the New Year began in the [[Tang Dynasty]] in China, and was adopted by Japanese aristocrats during the [[Heian period]]. The first cup drunk would be made with tososan, and the second and third cups with different varieties called ''byakusan'' and ''toshōsan''.

⚫
The drinking ceremony finally passed to the general public and doctors would give out tososan. Even today some chemists shops have retained the custom and give tososan away as a free gift at the end of the year.<ref name="metropolis"/>


The custom is now mainly limited to [[Kansai]] and west Japan; in other regions celebratory ''o-toso'' at New Year is often plain sake without tososan.
The custom is now mainly limited to [[Kansai]] and west Japan; in other regions celebratory ''o-toso'' at New Year is often plain sake without tososan.


==Ingredients==
== Ingredients ==


[[Image:Tososan.jpg|thumb|'''Tososan''']]
[[File:Tososan.jpg|thumb|Tososan]]


The tososan mixture is said to have originated as a prescription of the famous Chinese physician [[Hua Tuo]] during the [[Three Kingdoms]] period.
The recipe is said to have originated as a prescription of the famous Chinese physician [[Zhang Zhongjing]] during the [[Eastern han|Eastern Han]] period.


Ingredients have changed somewhat over time; some of the original Chinese ones were deemed at one point or another to be too potent for casual consumption. Nowadays it is typically made from [[Sichuan Pepper|Japanese pepper]], [[asiasari]] [[root|radix]], [[apiaceae]], [[cinnamon]], dried [[ginger]], [[atractylodes]] Japonica, [[Chinese bellflower]] and [[rhubarb]], amongst others. <ref name="metropolis"/>
Ingredients have changed somewhat over time; some of the original Chinese ones were deemed at one point or another to be too potent for casual consumption. Nowadays it is typically made from [[Sichuan Pepper|Japanese pepper]], asiasari radix, [[apiaceae]], [[cinnamon]], dried [[ginger]], [[atractylodes]] Japonica, [[Chinese bellflower]] and [[rhubarb]], amongst others.<ref name="metropolis" />


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== Sources ==
It is held to be effective medicinally and useful at the onset of colds.


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* Primarily translated from the [[:ja:屠蘇|Japanese Wikipedia article]] as of 6 January 2007.
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==Sources==
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<references />


== See also ==
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* Primarily translated from the [[:ja:屠蘇|Japanese Wikipedia article]] as of 6 January, 2007.
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*[[Japanese New Year]]
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<references/>
*[[Tamagozake]]
*[[Mulled wine]]


==See also==
== External links ==
*{{Commonscatinline}}


* [[Japanese New Year]]
{{Japanese food and drink}}
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* [[Osechi]] Traditional Japanese New Year fare
* [[Sake]]


[[Category:Rice wine]]
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[[Category:Japanese culture]]
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[[Category:Japanese drinks]]
[[Category:Japanese cuisine terms]]
[[Category:Japanese cuisine terms]]
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[[Category:Japanese New Year foods]]

[[es:Toso]]
[[Category:Sake]]
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[[Category:Traditional Japanese medicine]]
[[fr:Toso]]
[[ja:屠蘇]]
[[zh:屠蘇]]

Latest revision as of 16:06, 9 February 2024

For the surname, see Toso (surname).

O-toso and three sakazuki lacquered vermillion cups

Toso (屠蘇), or o-toso, is spiced medicinal sake traditionally drunk during Japanese New Year celebrations. Toso is also known historically in China.

Culture[edit]

O-toso also known as spiced sake.

Toso is drunk to flush away the previous year's maladies and to aspire to lead a long life. For generations it has been said that "if one person drinks this his family will not fall ill; if the whole family does no-one in the village will fall ill" and has been a staple part of New Year's osechi cuisine in Japan.[1]

A toso set in a museum, 2021

Toso is written using two kanji: 蘇 representing evil spirits and 屠 meaning to slaughter.

Toso is made by combining several medicinal herbs to form tososan (屠蘇散), a spicy mixture, which is then soaked in sake or mirin. If made with mirin, essentially a sweet sake, it is suitable for drinking, but using fermented mirin seasoning would not be appropriate as it is too salty.

Three sizes of cup, called sakazuki (盃) (see picture), are used starting with the smallest and passed round with each family member or guest taking a sip. Drinking rituals differ by region, but in formal situations would proceed from youngest to eldest. This tradition originated in China in hope for children to grow faster whereas their elders to age slower. However, in Japan, around the beginning of the Meiji or Shōwa periods, custom changed and the head of the household usually takes the first drink.

The tradition of drinking toso at the New Year began in the Tang dynasty in China and was adopted by Japanese aristocrats during the Heian period. The first cup drunk would be made with tososan and the second and third cups with different varieties called byakusan and toshōsan.

The drinking ceremony finally passed to the general public and doctors would give out tososan. Even today some chemists shops have retained the custom and give tososan away as a free gift at the end of the year.[1]

The custom is now mainly limited to Kansai and west Japan; in other regions celebratory o-toso at New Year is often plain sake without tososan.

Ingredients[edit]

Tososan

The recipe is said to have originated as a prescription of the famous Chinese physician Zhang Zhongjing during the Eastern Han period.

Ingredients have changed somewhat over time; some of the original Chinese ones were deemed at one point or another to be too potent for casual consumption. Nowadays it is typically made from Japanese pepper, asiasari radix, apiaceae, cinnamon, dried ginger, atractylodes Japonica, Chinese bellflower and rhubarb, amongst others.[1]

Sources[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Gaunter, John. "Seasonal Sipping". Metropolis Tokyo. Archived from the original on 21 January 2007. Retrieved 6 January 2007.

See also[edit]

External links[edit]

  • Media related to Toso at Wikimedia Commons
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