Visiting Oisesan Geku Main Store in Ise: More Than Purifying Salt Spray, with Cleansing Fragrances, Goods, and Limited Gachapon

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Holly

主筆兼站長 at 有貓的旅日子

I enjoy traveling alone, writing, and taking photos. In Japan, I often look for signs of cats in quiet streets, temple paths, and wagashi shops. I first write down the views, tastes, and small moments from my trips in my travel notebook, then slowly turn them into a life journal on this website.

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I first noticed Oisesan (おいせさん, Miss Ise) because I saw a post shared by Yujiang. The post mentioned their Okiyome Enkiri Spray (お浄め縁切スプレー, a spray for cutting off bad relationships or unwanted romantic ties). In the comments, people also mentioned another popular item: Okiyome Shio Spray (お浄め塩スプレー, a purifying salt spray).

At that time, it was not as popular as it is now, and the reviews were not as exaggerated as some of the ones I see today. Among all the comments, the one that really caught my attention was that someone said it was especially useful for clearing away the negative energy brought by difficult customers. This was very important to me. After all, when I occasionally meet a difficult customer, my mood can really be affected. Sometimes it even takes me a whole day to process it. So the idea of having a more subtle way than throwing salt, while still symbolizing the removal of bad energy, was very tempting.

Another reason this store left a strong impression on me was that its main store is located right next to Ise Jingu Geku (伊勢神宮外宮, the Outer Shrine of Ise Jingu). Because of that, I always felt that their fragrances had a certain sacred atmosphere, almost as if they came from a place where the gods live. Even if it was only a psychological effect in the end, the placebo effect could still bring a sense of calm. So I quietly added it to my list of souvenirs I must buy when visiting Ise.

When I actually planned the trip, I almost forgot about this. However, based on my usual travel habits, I often eat something simple at noon because I want to keep up with the itinerary. This time, I thought I should have a proper meal before visiting Geku, so I searched on Google Maps and found a café with a nice atmosphere called Kissa to Zakka dali (喫茶と雑貨dali, a café and general goods shop). When I clicked into the map to check more information, my cursor moved to the shop next door. I noticed that the name looked familiar. After looking more carefully, I realized it was Oisesan Geku Main Store (おいせさん外宮本店).

I was honestly surprised at that moment. I almost missed it without realizing it. Thankfully, this time I did not pass it by. Otherwise, I really do not know when I would have another chance to visit Ise again.

My plan for that day was to visit Geku first, then go to the Sengukan Museum (式年遷宮記念せんぐう館, a museum about the Shikinen Sengu shrine rebuilding tradition). After finishing there, it was close to 11:00 a.m., so I went to Kissa to Zakka dali for lunch. After that, I walked to Oisesan and took my time browsing the store. Finally, I walked to the tourist information center at Iseshi Station to collect stamps and travel materials. Then I took a bus from the station area to Futamiura.

Personally, I think this was a good plan. In practice, it also worked very well. I did not return to the city too late, and the pace felt just right. I feel like I am getting better at planning travel routes.

Main Store Exclusives: Goods Gachapon and Basic Information

From the outside, the main store looks quite large. However, the inside is actually not very spacious. The storefront is wide, but the shop itself is not deep. Because of this, I do not recommend bringing large luggage with you. Otherwise, you may have to leave it outside the entrance.

At its deepest point, the shop only has enough space for about three people to stand side by side. The space is really quite small. I was carrying a backpack, but when another customer came in behind me, I quickly took it off. Otherwise, it would have made it difficult for other people to shop.

The inside of the store can be roughly divided into three areas. If you face the store from the front, the left side is the area for related goods. The middle area has the gachapon machines and the counter. The right side is the regular product area, and it is also the deepest part of the store.

I want to mention the gachapon machines first. Although these machines are not exclusive to the main store, they are not easy to find either. At least in the Ise area, I did not see them anywhere else. Yujiang had shared them before, but did not give the exact location. My guess is that it was probably somewhere in the Tokyo area.

One thing to note is that the small spray cans inside the gachapon capsules do not actually contain any purifying spray. I originally thought they did. I thought it would be very convenient to carry one around and refill it later. However, after returning to Taiwan and taking a closer look, I realized that the inside was empty. I was a little disappointed, but it was still very cute as a charm.

Later, when I looked at it more carefully, I realized that there was a Shide (紙垂／しで, a zigzag-shaped paper streamer used in Shinto rituals) placed inside. It is the same kind of white zigzag paper often seen on shimenawa ropes at shrines. I was a little surprised. At first, I only planned to use it as a normal charm, but because of this piece of Shide, the small spray can suddenly felt more sacred. It became almost like a small portable omamori.

There is also embossed lettering on the back of the can that matches each design. It is clear that the mold was specially made for these items, instead of using a standard ready-made design. After noticing these details, I could really feel the care put into the product. Although I cannot carry it around and actually spray it, the feeling of having a Shide inside to help create a small sacred boundary is also quite nice.

It was a little unfortunate that I did not get my favorite design, the green “self-healing” one. There were five designs in the gachapon machine. Considering my usually terrible luck with gachapon, getting three different designs in three tries was already extremely lucky. As the saying goes, good things should stop at three. I decided to stop while I was ahead and not take any more risks.

Also, the store does not collect empty gachapon capsules. You need to take the capsules with you and throw them away yourself.

The left side of the store is for related goods using their original designs. There are items such as goshuincho, hair ties, bracelets, and other small goods. If you see something you like, I recommend buying it directly here. Most of these items are only sold on their official website and at their directly operated stores.

For tourists, the main store is probably the easiest one to visit among their directly operated shops. Another shop is located inside Ise JR Station. I think it can be convenient depending on the person. For example, I usually take Kintetsu Railway. Although Kintetsu Iseshi Station and JR Iseshi Station look like they share the same station area on the map, there is actually some distance between them. So if you are taking JR, that shop is convenient. If not, you may need to walk a little more.

The right side of the store has their popular purification sprays, salt, and other products. There are also some related goods on the upper shelves. In general, if the items are not related goods, you can usually find them at other sales locations as well.

Among the purification sprays, the most popular one is the salt spray. In addition to the regular package, the main store also offers a limited vermilion version. However, the contents are the same. Only the color of the outer label is different. Since the price is also the same, I chose the main store limited package in the end. After all, since I had come all the way to the main store, I wanted to bring back something a little different. This package is not available on the official website either. I have to say, Japanese brands are really serious when it comes to limited editions.

In addition to the classic purifying salt spray, they also offer four other versions:

Actually, all of these versions have nice meanings. However, after smelling them one by one, I found that I liked the scent of the Okiyome Jibun Spray the most. The others were also nice, but I did not like them as much. I also did not feel that I needed the other three versions as strongly.

Another small reason was that I preferred the design of the Okiyome Jibun Spray. Both the colors and the pattern were exactly my type.

One more thing to note is that their paper bags are not free. Even if you buy something, the staff will not automatically put it into a paper bag. If you do not buy a paper bag separately, your items will be placed in a regular plastic bag. If you are buying something as a gift, remember to keep this in mind.

I regretted a little that I did not buy the paper bag. Later, I ended up buying their LINE stickers instead. The design of Miss Ise really matched my taste.

More Ways to Buy: Iwakura Branches and Online Stores

After I bought the items, I shared them with my friends. They sent me quite a few links to related posts on social media. One of them was a post from someone who bought the products at Iwakura inside Nagoya Airport. Because it was at the airport, it left an impression on me.

Later, I wanted to buy more. I will explain the reason later. However, my itinerary did not go smoothly enough for me to visit the main store again. So I thought about setting aside some time on the last day to go to the shop inside JR Iseshi Station, buy what I wanted, and then leave for Osaka.

However, when I was at Okage Yokocho near Ise Jingu Naiku, I saw an Iwakura shop. I remembered that someone had shared that they bought the products at Iwakura in Nagoya Airport, so I thought I would go in and take a look. Maybe they would have them too.

To my surprise, they really did. They had not only the sprays, but also bath bombs, purifying salt, and other products. The store also sold many items such as crystal bracelets. This reminded me of a post I had seen before from a proxy buyer selling Ise Jingu bracelets. However, I did not see those bracelets at either Naiku or Geku.

If they really are sold there, I think they may be available at the rest area for shrine visitors near Naiku. I did feel a little tempted to go back and check. But the distance was quite far, so I gave up in the end. I decided to just accept that we were not meant to meet.

After buying the products, I also picked up an Iwakura business card. That was when I realized that they have branches in quite a few places. For airports, they have shops at Nagoya Airport and Narita Airport. In Tokyo, they also have branches in places such as Asakusa Nakamise, Kagurazaka, and Kichijoji. In other areas, they have shops in popular cities and regions such as Yokohama, Kyoto, and Kyushu.

If you only want to buy the sprays, these locations should also be convenient places to find them.

Besides Iwakura, there are also many ways to buy their products online. For Taiwanese buyers, Amazon is probably the most convenient option. Their products are sold on Amazon too, but some individual items may be slightly more expensive there.

If you care about the price or want more product options, it is better to buy from the official website. The official website has a more complete selection. This is especially true for the larger family-size bottles. At the main store, I only saw the family-size version of the Okiyome Shio Spray. Actually, the Okiyome Koi Spray also has a family-size version, but it may not always be available in physical stores. If you really want it, ordering from the official website would be safer.

That said, using the family-size bottle does feel a little less atmospheric. Spraying it from a large bottle feels more like using a deodorizing spray. Still, the price is better. It is a pity that the self-healing version I like does not have a family-size bottle. Otherwise, I would also want to buy one.

Self-Healing: Jibun Spray and Small Moments of Luck

The reason Okiyome Shio Spray became popular on social media is because more and more people started sharing mysterious experiences with it. I remember a few stories especially well. For example, someone said that after spraying the purifying version, the chance of being scolded by their boss during a meeting seemed to decrease. Another person said they sprayed it around a coworker’s seat, and not long after that, the coworker left the department. There was also a story about someone using the relationship-cutting version, and soon after that, a troublesome romantic connection somehow disappeared.

Among these stories, I think the one about spraying a coworker’s seat was the most extreme. It almost sounded like the forced relationship-cutting power of Yasui Konpiragu (安井金比羅宮, a Kyoto shrine known for cutting bad ties). Maybe this is exactly why the spray is so fascinating. After all, “energy fields” are abstract and not something people can easily change by themselves. If there is even a small possibility of changing something, it naturally becomes tempting.

Since I was in the land of Amaterasu Omikami (天照大神, the sun goddess in Japanese mythology), I did not feel that there was much I needed to purify. Also, I had already been staying in my room for a while by then. So after buying the spray, I mostly used the Jibun Spray.

I am not sure whether it really worked, but on the first day I used it, I did encounter many lucky things. My original plan that day was to visit the Jingu Chokokan Museum near Yamatohime-no-miya. However, I happened to arrive on its closing day. The museum is closed on Thursdays, which felt like such a specific timing. I checked several times before finally accepting that I really had come on the wrong day.

At that moment, I decided to change my plan and visit Sarutahiko Shrine instead. That was when something unexpected happened.

At first, everything went smoothly and I caught the bus. If I had missed that bus, I would have had to wait another two hours. However, because I wanted to walk a little less, I thought I could get off at the next stop, which looked closer. I did not look carefully at the Google Maps directions. As a result, the next stop was Amano Iwato (天の岩戸, a sacred cave site in Japanese mythology). It was separated from Sarutahiko Shrine by a whole mountain. I was completely shocked.

Luckily, an elderly Japanese lady on the bus probably found it unusual that someone would ride that far. She started talking to me out of curiosity, and only then did I realize that even if I got off at the next stop, I might not be able to return to the city area quickly. The return bus would not come until much later.

Fortunately, the lady was very kind and asked the driver if there was a stop closer to a railway station. The driver also worked hard to find the stop that best matched my needs. He even asked if Kintetsu Railway would be okay. I was really grateful to both of them. Otherwise, my afternoon plans would have been completely ruined.

In the end, they let me get off at Isobe Shogakko-mae (磯部小学校前, in front of Isobe Elementary School). From there, I was able to reach Kintetsu Shima-Isobe Station (近鉄志摩磯部駅) smoothly. During the ride, the elderly lady also told me that the mountain we had just passed was said to be a place where the gods hide away. We also passed by Izawa-no-miya (伊雑宮, one of the associated shrines of Ise Jingu). I was especially happy about that part. It turned out that the place I had seen at the Sengukan Museum, which looked like somewhere Totoro might live, was Izawa-no-miya.

After finally getting on the train, I had a lot of time to think about how to adjust my itinerary because only local trains stop at Isobe Station. In the end, I decided to go to Matsusaka Station first to buy Oitomo from Hozen Yanagiya. What makes this sweet special is that the filling inside the monaka is not red bean paste, but yokan. I found that really interesting.

After taking the train all the way to Matsusaka Station and walking to the shop, I successfully bought what I wanted. I also bought the kuzu ice bar that I had been thinking about for a long time. Some time ago, there had been a class about this kind of sweet in a Taiwanese wagashi-related group, so I had always been curious about how it tasted. Since I had already come to this old shop, I decided to try it.

Also, to save time, I walked from the station to the shop. The weather was very hot, so I really needed an ice bar to cool down.

After buying what I wanted, I still had some time before my afternoon experience at the Saiku Historical Museum. The gap was not too long, but not too short either. On the way there, I started looking for a special place to have lunch in the Matsusaka area. In the end, I found a shaved ice specialty shop.

Two days earlier, I had eaten shaved ice at Ofukumochi in Futamiura. It was very different from Taiwanese shaved ice and surprisingly delicious. Because of that, I wanted to try more shaved ice shops in Japan. So when I saw this shaved ice specialty shop, I immediately decided to go there.

At first, I thought it would be easy. However, I could not find the shop at all. Google Maps clearly showed that I had already arrived, but I still could not see it. Luckily, I managed to find some Japanese information online. After reading it and picking out the key details, I was finally able to ask for directions and find the shop.

From the Japanese information, I also learned that this was actually a shaved ice shop that usually requires a reservation. My heart sank a little when I saw that. Fortunately, the same post also mentioned that the writer was able to eat there alone without a reservation. So I decided to take a chance and ask. Thankfully, because I was alone, the shop was willing to take me in without a reservation. I was really grateful. This is one of the good things about solo travel. If you are just one person, many shops are more willing to accept a last-minute customer.

The flavors available that day were mango, salty cheese, and lemon. I did not even need to think about mango, so I removed it from my choices right away. After hesitating between the other two for a while, I chose the safer option and the one I liked more: lemon.

There were only a few staff members in the shop, and some customers with reservations had ordered before me, so I waited for a while. But when the shaved ice was served, I immediately thought it looked beautiful. It was basically shaved ice made like a parfait. Under the clear shaved ice, there were many different fillings hidden inside. This gave the shaved ice a very rich texture. The sweet and sour flavor, together with the cold ice that melted right away in my mouth, was truly delicious.

After finishing the shaved ice, I hurried to take the train to Saiku Station because I had booked a Juni-hitoe experience at the Saiku Historical Experience Hall in the afternoon.

Since I was going alone, I had even brought a tripod with me. I was thinking about how to explain to the staff that I wanted to set it up and take photos. In the end, I did not need it at all. The staff at the experience hall helped me take photos with my phone. They also brought out two DSLR cameras. One was used to take behind-the-scenes photos, and the other was used for more formal shots.

So even though I went there alone, I somehow experienced what it felt like to have a multi-camera photo shoot. They even used two lighting reflectors. After the experience, they also gave me printed photos and a small folder. I had never seen this mentioned in any of the information I found before.

At first, I felt a little disappointed that Take Shrine is only staffed on weekends, because that is when you can receive a goshuin with a Saiō design. But after this experience, I no longer felt disappointed at all. If I had not gone on a weekday, there was no way I would have received this level of attention. It felt like almost every staff member I could see in the museum came out to help. I was honestly amazed.

If I had to say whether my luck was bad that day, it was true that my original itinerary did not go as planned. I also missed my bus stop. However, in another way, I was also very lucky. I met a kind elderly lady and a helpful bus driver, and thanks to them, I was able to make it to my afternoon activity. I also unexpectedly passed by Izawa-no-miya. If I have time next time, I definitely want to make a special trip there. It looked really beautiful.

I also unexpectedly got to try a kuzu ice bar, found the correct entrance to the shaved ice shop at the last moment, and managed to enjoy the shaved ice. On top of that, the Juni-hitoe experience turned out to be much more impressive than I expected. As a solo traveler, I was truly grateful to receive so many photos.

By the way, I also had some very beautiful konjac that evening. This day turned out to be unexpectedly wonderful and lucky, which made me feel that the Jibun Spray might actually have worked. Although it is meant for self-healing rather than bringing people together, maybe improving your own energy can help attract good things too. Perhaps that is another kind of effect this spray has. So the next day, when I saw it being sold at Iwakura in Okage Yokocho near Naiku, I bought another bottle without hesitation.

Conclusion: Visiting the Geku Main Store and Feeling More Than the Power of Fragrance

At first, I only walked into the store out of curiosity. I thought that since the products were connected to the protection of Amaterasu Omikami, maybe they really could help clear away the negative energy brought by difficult customers. Of course, this kind of effect cannot be treated as a 100% guarantee. At that time, I simply bought them as souvenirs.

However, after experiencing a strange series of small lucky moments later, I started to feel that maybe the stories shared on social media had some truth to them. That said, I still think the story about spraying the seat of a disliked coworker and then having that coworker suddenly leave the company sounds less like a gentle spiritual effect and more like the power of Emperor Sutoku at Yasui Konpiragu. It feels like a very direct and unforgiving way of cutting ties.

Honestly, if I had not visited Ise Jingu in person, I probably would have only played the gachapon and left. In the past, I did not have any strong personal experience with this kind of “purification” idea. It was only after a few unexpected experiences that I slowly began to feel that I might be more compatible with the atmosphere of Japanese deities. Because of that, I started to feel more willing to try this kind of product.

After actually arriving at Ise Jingu Geku, I was deeply drawn to its solemn atmosphere. So besides the classic Okiyome Shio Spray, I also bought products from other series. That was how I unexpectedly discovered that using fragrance as a light and simple way to invite good luck can actually feel quite nice.

The products are not as difficult to buy as I first imagined. Their consignment retailer Iwakura has branches in major cities such as Tokyo, Nagoya, and Kyoto. If it is not convenient to visit the main store, you can also buy them through the official online store. Having them shipped to a hotel may be a little troublesome, but as long as you plan ahead, it should not be a serious problem.

The only small regret is that my favorite Okiyome Jibun Spray does not come in a large bottle. If I have the chance next time, I would also like to bring back a purple Okiyome Ki Spray and try it.

Although this brand is now easy to buy in Taiwan, even on MOMO, I would still recommend visiting the Geku main store if you have the chance to go to Ise in person. Buying it locally near Ise Jingu gives the experience a special sense of pilgrimage. The feeling is completely different. Maybe it even adds a little extra blessing to the effect.

＊Unless otherwise noted, all photos in this article were taken by the author (yanshoto.com) during personal travels and are fully copyrighted. Please do not reproduce or use them for commercial purposes without prior permission. Thank you for your understanding and respect.

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