User:Osenbei1002/Maid café

Background (I accidentally made some edits on the real wiki page for this and some other sections briefly)

Maid cafés were traditionally associated with Akihabara (秋葉原), a district in Tokyo famous for its extensive electronics and anime/manga related stores. Commonly a place for otakus to visit, Akihabara contains several themed cafes and within those, maid cafes specifically. However, with the increasing media attention on these cafes, they have developed into tourist attractions as well and less of an otaku hotspot. Because of this, peak wait times can be about two hours.These establishments also tap into a new trend in Japan that deals with alternate forms of intimacy. Historically, following Japan’s economic crash during the 1990s, the ideas surrounding intimacy changed to become more individualistic. Because of this, some people who cannot form organic relationships with others turn to other forms of intimacy in order to fulfill the missing intimacy in their lives. Therefore, maid cafes provide a place for people to do so, especially for those who are interested in manga and anime because these cafes tend to mimic these works. In addition, though maid cafes can have certain connotations, these establishments do not provide any sexual services.

Comparison to other establishments

Example of cheesecake served at maid cafe

Though maid cafes do not provide sexual services, the gender relations contribute to the popularity and enjoyable experience for patrons. Scholars such as Patrick Galbraith and Anne Allison conclude that maid cafes provide a very different experience compared to things such as hostess clubs. These places focus more on the workplace and satisfying men due to their hard work, whereas made cafes operate in quite different ways. For example, visiting maid cafes often is not seen as anything shameful, whereas chronically visiting a hostess bar is viewed quite differently in Japan. In fact, many made cafes rely on regular customers to provide stable business. . Instead, maid cafes focus on providing an escape from the home and work spheres. Furthermore, according to anthropologists such as Anne Allison, a maid cafe lacks the same sexual and caretaker undertones that hostess bars do. Maids encapsulate a more pure form that provides an alternate world to patrons. Customers tend to not stray from appropriate topics as an attempt to preserve this space created through role play with the maid.

about the maids (will likely modify this title to be more refined)

These maids are almost always younger women, ranging from around 18 years old to their mid twenties. These women make roughly around the Japanese minimum wage and tend to reside with their families. The maids themselves tend to enjoy anime and manga and other aspects of otaku culture, allowing them to create further connections with their patrons. However, these jobs tend to not be careers for these women though, and just paths to eventual permanent employment elsewhere. Contrary to popular belief, the maids themselves tend to enjoy their work due to the ability to express themselves and enter in their own alternate character universe alongside the patrons. Though many maids enjoy their work, there remains some issues regarding patron conduct outside the workplace. Strict rules are displayed to prevent disorderly conduct at these cafes, however some customers attempt to make contact outside the workplace causing maids to experience discomfort. Preserving a particular image/identity is also vital to upholding the fantasy component of these establishments. In addition to the strict rules for patrons, the maids adopt different names for work and are not allowed to smoke or drink. Their personal relationships with men are also affected, as they cannot spend time with other Akihabara men. By doing so, this allows the maids to uphold a specific identity to their patrons and potential customers. Preserving a particular image/identity is also vital to upholding the fantasy component of these establishments. In addition to the strict rules for patrons, the maids adopt different names for work and are not allowed to smoke or drink. Their personal relationships with men are also affected, as they cannot spend time with other Akihabara men. By doing so, this allows the maids to uphold a specific identity to their patrons and potential customers. When their careers as maids come to a close, whether due to age or by choice, some can opt to work for the corporate agencies behind these cafes. For example, one prominent maid from @home cafe opted to work on the advertising side of the industry after entering the dating scene and therefore altering her identity as a maid.