Coffee at the Maid Cafe
I went to my “first” Maid cafe last week. Now for those of you not familiar with trends in Japan, or otaku life (that’s japanese for Geek), Maid Cafe’s have been all the rage over here for the last couple of years, especially in otaku kingdoms like Akihabara (Tokyo) and Den Den Town (Osaka).
Maid Cafe
I didn’t have my camera with me, so I found this sample pic on the net.
Basically the waitresses dress up like old fashioned maids and serve you coffee or lunch (like a normal cafe).
Very popular amongst the cos play crowd.
Obviously I went in just out of curiosity and for research purposes. 
Actually I always thought that maybe there was something kinky or fetishist going on inside, so was always a little reticent about going in (or perhaps being seen going in…) however, ’twas not to be.
I found a new one in the Otaku quarter of Sannomiya, called Kanon, and plucked up the courage and went in.
Empty. Except for a nice enough looking lady dressed as a maid. But the place was exactly like some old ladies English tea room in Cornwall! Dainty little curtains, pictures on the wall, heart shaped sugar ‘cubes’, and I ordered a coffee and got a Wedgewood looking pot and a dainty cup and saucer that I could hardly fit my finger through the handle to pick it up!
All the while there was much bowing and impeccable service. She kept apologising for making me wait (this is common here, but usually not with such a deep and long bow) when she started to speak to me, then did the same when she was going away.
The coffee arrived on a little wheeled tray (couldn’t stop myself from thinking of Mrs Overall from Acorn Antiques ‘Is it on the trolley?’), all very cute and quaint.
I was expecting it to be full of sweaty, fat geeks (well there was only one…)but it was empty until 2 young ladies came in, obviously there first time as they kept giggling when the Maid went away.
Only cost ￥550 so pretty cheap.
Apparently some cafe’s offer other ‘services’ – hmm, I bet. Although these seem to be, wait for it….for ￥500 you can play a quick game of cards! (and not strip poker), or for another ￥500, pick up sticks!
Well, now I can see why it’s such a national phenomenom!
Will go again with Aki (as she wants to see for herself) and will remember the camera next time!
