Just a few days left in Japan I have, and since I am not doing much, I decided to go to Tokyo's "Electric Town" in Akihabara and check out some gadgets. Then I met this lady, who made a giant X with her hands when I asked for a picture (took one from afar anyway). She was selling a service - and it had nothing to do with cleaning, and not what YOU are thinking either.
For the right price, you can be accompanied by a young (likely a student), always smiling girl to show you around the city for an hour, and make no mention of your uncool clothes, awry complexion, geeky backpack, or an array of features that Japan's "Otaku" - or geeks - in this part of the city often share. All the while wearing a maid's costume, which I take made its first appearance in some comic. This guy didn't buy it.
And neither did I. But it gave me the idea to check out a Maid Cafe, and after some asking around I found one with frosty windows in the middle of town. It was a small place with three "maids" serving. They were pleasant and lively, occasionally joking with customers (unheard of anywhere else), and that seemed to be the only outstanding feature of this place, other than the overpriced menu and positively bland looking food. There were lots of Polaroids on the wall of staff making the usual cute faces.
No pictures allowed here either, but if I could, I would take one of the first page of the menu. There were a number of warnings for customers, the English translation of which I would like to jot down here before I forget.
WARNING: The following thins are not allowed
1. Coming here to pick up maids.
2. Touching any of the maids.
3. Asking a maid for her phone number or e-mail address.
4. Giving a maid your phone number or e-mail address.
5. Sexual harassment.
6. Minimum one order per hour.
I left after an hour. I wasn't really sure what the excitement is supposed to be about, I read these places are attractive to some guys because they can meet girls they otherwise would not get a chance to talk to, but after reading the warning I don't think that was an option at this particular cafe.
