Cure Maid Cafe

Location: Tokyo : Akihabara : Denki-gai Area

Last Visited: August 2006

Following people should go:

- People who want to take a break after long expedition in Akihabara.

- People who want to see the very first maid café.

Costume: Classic English Maid Style/black/long skirt

Total Budget: 500 ~ 1000 yen

Service Charge: none

Time Limit: ??? minutes when cafe is crowded

English Menu: ???

Stamp Card: available

Communication Notebook: not available

Web Site: http://www.curemaid.jp/

Access:

map

Exit from Denki-gai exit at the Akihabara Station, and head to north-west direction. It is located on the 6th floor of the building whose 1st floor is filled with gacha-pon (capsule toys) machines. It is literally “filled”, thus you cannot miss it. Also, they usually have a large standing signboard saying “Cure Maid” right by the street.

Comment:

Cure Maid Cafe is the very first maid cafe in Japan. It originally evolved from Pia Carrot Restaurant, which was the cosplay cafe featuring waitresses dressed in the costumes from the famous dating simulation game series called “PiaCarrot-e Youkoso!! (Welcome to PiaCarrot)”. The game was about love romance in the family restaurant called Pia Carrot, where all waitresses were dressed in cute costumes. This cafe was open for the limited time only, when Japanese schools were in their vacation. It seems it opened three times before turning into Cure Maid Cafe, and once for PiaCarrot-e Youkoso!! 3 afterward. I think I’ve been to the original ones once or twice.

Pia Carrot Restaurant turned into Cafe de COSPA in year 2000. It was permanent cosplay cafe, where waitresses dressed in various costumes. I have been to this cafe once, but I did not like it for two reasons. The first reason was lack of unified theme: girls were dressed in random costumes, which appeared rather unsophisticated for me. The second reason was a type of regular customers. They were mostly camera-kozou (otaku who is dedicated to take pictures of girls like cosplayers and race queens), who was there forever and taking pictures. I felt uneasy being there due to them. Cafe de COSPA closed in 2001, and it turned into Cure Maid Cafe.

Cure Maid Cafe is one of the most professional maid cafes in my opinion. It may be a reaction to its experience back when it was Cafe de COSPA. All waitresses are dressed in a classic English maid costume, and their service is wonderful. The interior is very roomy, and there is no excessive “otaku” decorations like some other maid cafes. Photo shooting is prohibited, and you may not stay over a certain period time when it is crowded. Also, price of foods and drinks are reasonable, including liquors which only cost 500yen per glass. As name indicates, you can relax and “cure” your heart and soul here.

Although, if you expect very “otaku” maid cafe where maids play game with you and act anime-ish, this may not be the place to go. Beside the fact that the waitresses are dressed in the maid costumes, this place is just like a regular cafe.

If you are a tourist, you definitely should go here since it is the very first maid cafe. If you are Akihabara professional, I recommend you to use here as a resting area.