Maid Café: an interesting phenomenon
In Japan, there are diverse and varied experiences that will meet everyone’s expectations. And one of the most famous around the world -especially in the area of Otaku- remains the Maid Café.
There are many theme cafés in Tokyo, and even throughout Japan. Alice in Wonderland, Schoolgirl Café, Alcatraz ER, Lock Up, Robot Restaurant, Gundam Cafe, Vampire Cafe, Christopher Church, Neko Café, Owl Café, just to mention a few. Maid café is one of the most established (especially in Akihabara), but you can find it in all the major cities of Japan.
What is the Maid Café? Maid café is a place where young girls are dressed in maid outfits (meido), just as in the manga universe. They serve their Goshujin-sama (masters) and make them happy and live a kawaii (cute) experience. This is how we could summarize what a Maid Café is; these places are often valued by the curious and the otaku. These are the Moe Meido: cute, young ladies who are always smiling, full of life and who want to bring a pleasant experience to their customers, treating them like masters in the land of dreams. These young Japanese maids (although there are some foreigners who practice this trade) are officially “17 years forever” and are also “officially unmarried”. The aim is to sell dreams to clients by offering young and innocent girls. However, it is not about sex, it’s just a role-play that waitresses play to perfection. If you would like to visit Maid Café, you will have to pay the entrance fee (usually 1000 to 1500 Yen to have the right to stay one hour) and this does not always include free consumption. You can order drinks and dishes on the menu that will be offered. Each dish will come with a little “Moe Moe” animation intended to make your dish “magical” and filled with happiness.It is forbidden to take pictures of the maid. However, you can have a photo with her if you pay for it, thus you may resort other services as dances, animations too. You can also talk (if you speak Japanese) or play with the Maid(s) that will serve you. If you want to have an experience like this, the Maid Café Maidreamin in Akihabara and throughout Japan are the best known. You can book your experience in advance on Japanican.com.
The most famous Maid Café in Japan is the Moe Meido Kissa, the concept mentioned above. But this is not the only concept. There are two others: Yandere Meido: this is a Maid who constantly depresses and gives you the impression that they can burst into tears at any time.
Tsundere Meido: these girls are “bad”. By going into this kind of coffee Maid you will not be treated as a master (Goshujin-sama) but as a pesky person they do not want to serve. There is even a concept of ultra tsundere in Ossaka where the Maid kicks the ass of the customers on four legs in front of everyone.
