It's a rare occasion or ceremony that does not include some sake in Japan, and that harbinger of renewal, New Year's Day, is no exception. Although sake figures prominently in o-shogatsu celebrations from morning to night, opening the year with a prayer for health in the form of drinking o-toso is perhaps the most interesting.
O-toso is sake specially prepared by steeping a mixture of herbs in it for several hours. Drinking it with family in ceremonial fashion, first thing on New Year's Day, is said to ward off sickness for the entire year ahead, as well as invite peace within the household.
The tradition of o-toso came from China and originally the mixture consisted of eight herbs. Things have naturally changed slightly over the years, and some of the herbs have changed, as a couple in the original concoction were deemed too potent. But most remain true to the original recipe.