Maid Cafes

This is a piece I originally wrote for my Tokyo Geek's Guide and recently posted on Quora:

Tokyo is famous for its many theme bars and restaurants, and maid, butler and danso cafes are a popular form of otaku entertainment dining. On one side, they are a typical example of how the Japanese manage to think out of the box and come up with seemingly outlandish but ultimately successful enterprises. On the other side, they cater to the Japanese love for uniforms and cosplay.

Maid characters became popular in the 1990s with PC dating simulator game Welcome to Pia Carrot!! and the first permanent maid café (Cure Maid Café) appeared in 2001. This novel idea became so successful that according to business news website SankeiBiz, in the following decade 282 similar establishments opened in Akihabara only. Many of them didn’t survive the intense competition but maid cafes are still one of Akiba’s more recognizable features. In the process they have somewhat broken out of the Moe stereotype and now many places are frequented by women, students, couples and tourists.

A typical maid café is a small room with simple chairs, small tables and decor that, though minimal, often manages to be garish and over the top. Some even have a tiny stage for singing and dancing performances. The maids will welcome you with a high-pitched okaerinasaimase goshujinsama / ojosama (welcome home, master / mistress). You can order a la carte (typical dishes are omu-rice (omelette rice), curry, and cakes) but they usually recommend a set menu which may include one dish, one drink and a photo with a maid of your choice.

On average the food is unremarkable and quite expensive compared to regular eateries. Then again, many people don’t come here for the food. Also, don’t be disappointed if the maids look overly childish and unskilled. In Japan being hapless and sloppy is a sure sign of cuteness. A sophisticated, articulate hostess can be intimidating, but a young and inexperienced girl is the epitome of moe-ness. They will lead you in singing a “spell” that will make your food taste better (something like Moe-moe kyuuuun! or Pyoko-pyoko pyonpokorin!) while shaping your hands into a heart, or play (for a fee) some innocent game like Paper, Scissors, Stone or Pop Up Pirate.

A lot has been said about these places’ appeal – especially the kind of ritualized, mediated intimacy which prevails in maid cafes – while media reports often hint at their potential erotic nature. The important thing to remember, though, is that the maids are just waitresses and their main job is to sell food and beverage – albeit in a weirdly fantasy setting. While, for instance, a hostess bar is a place where you are supposed to playfully flirt with sophisticated-looking women, you cannot do that with a maid or ask for her personal contact, let alone touch her. You can’t even take pictures inside the café except for the food you have ordered. Break these rules and they are going to kick you out. This said, these are all spaces of fantasy and play that reward open-minded people, so just relax and have fun.

All these bars and cafes welcome foreigners. Some places now even hire foreign girls who can speak Japanese (probably for that added exotic touch) but almost all maids are Japanese and they will go out of their way to overcome any communication problems (because, yes, most of them don’t speak English). Anyway don’t worry because you won’t need to speak Japanese to have fun.
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