This is a set of questions I thought would be commonly asked, so please read them to know some more about the site, maid cafes, and the author himself.
If you have any questions that are not answered here, please by all means contact me to my email address, which you can find at the end of this page.
Q: So, what is this site all about?
Welcome to Akibamaid! This blog is all about maid cafes, and cosplay restaurants in general. You will find descriptions, explanations and reviews from various establishments around Japan. Also I will talk about pretty much anything that I wish.
Q: To whom is this blog aimed at?
The information in this blog is meant to be usable by several kinds of people. I expect for my target audience to fall into one of these categories:
Q: Why did you create this site? Are you getting paid for this? How can I know your reviews are honest?
Well, It all started with me looking for maid cafe reviews online. There are a few good sites, but one thing that bugged me about them is how complete and comprehensive the reviews are, similar to those you’d find in a popular magazine. Don’t take me wrong, this is not a bad thing, but I find them very impersonal. Read some more about it on the next question.
Because of this, I thought I’d make my own site, with more realistic reviews and a much more personal touch to it. With this, I think it’s obvious that nobody is paying me to do this, and that my reviews are only influenced by my opinions and those of the people I go to maid cafes with.
Q: Why are there so few pictures in your reviews? How can I know what the maids and the cafes look like from the inside if you don’t post pictures?
Well, this is precisely what makes me suspicious of other sites. Because of the nature their business, as a general rule, maid cafes don’t allow their patrons to take pictures inside the premises. Pictures can be taken, but you have to pay for that, and the picture you get is usually taken by one of the members of the staff, with the cafe’s instant camera, of you and a maid of your choice. Think of this as a souvenir, more than pictures you can freely take.
So, with this in mind, if you see a picture of a maid cafe online, especially if it is well taken (it is not an undercover picture), especially if there’s one of the girls posing for it, especially if it depicts an event inside the cafe; unless the cafe rules allow for this, you’re almost guaranteed that there was something else to that picture.
I always abide by the rules of the house, so you will not see undercover pictures in here. And since I’m in no way affiliated with the places I visit and review, you will not see well taken pictures either. Copying the official pictures from the establishments’ websites is also out of the question. Finally, I won’t post the souvenir photos I get taken with the maids either (mostly because they’re expensive, and I rarely have one taken ^_^;).
Mostly, the pictures you’ll see in this sites are pictures outside of the cafe, or of souvenirs I brought back with me. Seeing the cafe itself is quite an experience, so please visit one when you can!
Q: So your reviews are small and you have no pictures… What makes this site special?
To put it in another way, consider comparing restaurant or hotel reviews from a famous magazine, against the comments you’d get from a friend. Whichever is better and more suitable is completely up to you.
Q: You have reviews but no ratings. Why?
I’ve never liked rating systems. Each person has their own tastes and needs, and I’d like for my readers to make their own decisions based on my impressions.
Q: You haven’t made reviews for a long time! When will the next post be up?
I’m deeply sorry, but I simply cannot answer that. I am severely limited by my budget, so in order to go to a maid cafe to review, I have to go to Akihabara and come back (around 800 yen round-trip), I have to spend something in the cafe (at least 1000 yen), and since I’m in Akiba, I’d most likely end up buying something else (around 2000 yen). So when you realize that each of these reviews cost me around 4000 yen (around 40 US dollars), you’ll understand why I don’t post that often.
Q: What is a maid cafe?
A maid cafe, or more generally, a cosplay restaurant is a type of thematic venue, quite popular in Japan amongst otaku circles.
Generally, a maid cafe is not different from a normal one. However, in maid cafes, patrons are waited by young girls dressed in Victorian maid costumes. In addition to the excellent service for which Japanese restaurants are known for, you are treated as the master of the house, and are permanently pampered so your stay is as comfortable as possible.
Cosplay restaurants come in all kinds of sizes and flavors designed to suit everyone’s tastes. Not all feature maids, but they all include costumes and some kind of role play.
Q: What kind of maid cafes are there?
As I mentioned before, maid cafes are quite varied. While some are simply regular cafes with dressed-up waitresses and nothing else, others go for a much more active image with the girls being very playful. Some other cafes adopt a very formal setting in which all of the moves the maids make are carefully planned.
Some maid cafes sell only soft drinks and desserts, some others also offer alcoholic beverages, while others have more comprehensive food menus.
Also, some others offer additional services as varied as to go from foot massages and reflexology, to making a small anime clip with your voice (and the maids’) in it so you can take back home with you.
Finally, most venues also have scheduled events such as live stages for clients to enjoy. Event schedules can usually be seen on the cafe’s webpage.
Q: In addition to maid cafes, what other types of cosplay restaurants are there?
Even though by far, the most common type of cosplay restaurants are staffed by maids, others offer different types of settings. Among those, some popular ones include Miko (shrine maiden), Imouto (little sister) and Densha (train and railway related).
There are some other places that temporarily serve with a special theme, such as a popular anime series.
Q: How is this different from a brothel? Do you get any “special” services?
I suppose that there may be some establishments that cater to that type of interests, but most, if not all of the places you see openly advertised are no more than theme restaurants. Indecent behavior is severely frowned upon, and even if the maids act very sweet towards you, this is never meant to be sexual in nature. If you act improperly in one of these places, at the very least you will be asked to leave, but if you go too far you may end up finding yourself in trouble with the police.
These places are designed for people who are interested in no more than getting treated well while drinking a cup of coffee. Act smart, and remember that this is all fantasy and role play. Needless to say, I’m not interested in such places, and I’m not even interested in learning whether or not they actually exist. Of course, I will not be posting any reviews about such places, so please refrain from asking.
Q: Where can I find maid cafes?
A large amount of maid cafes can be found in Akihabara, a popular electronics and otaku district in the Chiyoda ward, in the heart of Tokyo. There are, however, several cafes outside of Akihabara, but these may prove to be more difficult to find.
In Tokyo, there are maid cafes in other districts such as Ikebukuro. Outside of Tokyo, you can also find them in otaku-related places such as Nipponbashi in Osaka and Oosu in Nagoya.
Even though they started in Japan, there are few other places outside of Japan, most of them in East Asia, but also some in Europe, North America and even Latin America (I’ve heard there is one in Mexico).
Q: I don’t speak Japanese! Can I still go to a maid cafe?
Of course you can! Maid cafes have become very popular outside of Japan, as far as to get mentioned in many famous travel guides, and seeing other foreigners in one is but a rare view.
Most likely, the maids won’t be able to speak English fluently, but many cafes have English menus available. Think of it as a normal restaurant, and you should be okay. Of course, being able to speak some Japanese would add a lot to the experience, but it is by no means necessary. If possible, try to go with a Japanese friend, but don’t let the lack of one be a reason not to experience a maid cafe!
Nevertheless, I have come across maid cafes with some western staff. I applaud their efforts.
Q: How much does it cost to go to a maid cafe?
Since maid cafes have a much more elaborate setting than their regular counterparts, they tend to be more expensive than their regular counterparts. The entry level price for soft drinks is around 500 Yen (5 US Dollars), and simple desserts may cost 700 to 1000 yen. Some places also have table charges of 500 yen for 1 hour or so, so make sure you understand the costs before actually going inside.
Once you’re in, almost everything costs money. Playing games with the maids usually costs extra, some charge you for having the maid sit with you and talk to you for a while, and almost all of them charge you for having a picture taken. Make sure you know how much everything is going to cost before you agree to anything.
Also, most of these places only take cash, so credit cards are probably useless.
Q: I’m a girl. Can I go to a maid cafe?
Definitely! A large percentage of patrons at maid cafes are male, but it is very common to see girls, either alone or with company. Just like a normal cafe.
Q: I want to go to a maid cafe with friends, or with my girlfriend/boyfriend. Is that possible?
Of course! A common misconception is that you have to go alone to a maid cafe, but you’ll be surprised to see that most people go in groups. Of course, having a party for 30 at a maid cafe is probably very difficult, but you can see groups of all sizes and gender combinations. Of course, going alone is also completely okay. Once again, think of it as a normal cafe: you can go by yourself or with friends.
Q: So, who are you?
I’m a foreign graduate student living in Japan. I’m interested in manga, anime, doujinshi, cosplay and games. Of course, I’m very interested in maid cafes.
Q: You’re a boy (as opposed to a girl), right?
Yes.
Q: Can you speak Japanese?
Not perfectly, but for all practical needs, yes.
Q: Can you do a review of [some maid cafe]?
I am quite open to suggestions, but I can make no promises.
Q: How can I contact you?
You can drop me a line via email to maid☆akibamaid.net (change the star to an @ sign).
Q: Can you speak Japanese?
Yes. Not perfectly, but for all practical needs, yes.