When I was in Akihabara, my friend was very interested in visiting a maid cafe. I was a bit curious, too, because I had been hearing a lot about the maid cafes of Japan. We ended up in a chain maid cafe called maidreamin located very close to the Akihabara Station.
To find it, you do have to go in what looks like a side door and then up some stairs, but the very large logo on the wall will tell you that you are on the correct path.
In 2018, there is a ¥500 cover charge for entry + at least one item per guest. This combined buys one hour of time in the cafe and a decoration to wear on your head during the hour. If you are under 12 and show ID, you get free admission and free ice cream.
The drinks looked unexceptional (basic sodas and alcohol) but the food looked pretty. The maid waitress recommended a few packages for first time visitors, but it is possible to order individual items from the menu.
The animal parfaits were as advertised. I had a bunny in the forest parfait instead of my second choice, the healing panda parfait. How does he heal? By stopping time itself. The parfait was average in taste but it was definitely cute! The pancake looked like a cake with pudding poured over it, which it was. The lack of any decorations on top and its average taste made it largely unexceptional.
We had the good fortune to see a performance without having to pay. The lights went out suddenly, drawing attention to the stage. A maid began hitting a star-shaped tambourine. And then there was dancing, because it was now Dream time.
I suspect that the pair of middle-aged men sitting in the Star Area or the birthday boy (looked about 5 years old and was surrounded by older women, so I imagined it as his mother and aunts) might have bought it. The live performance so talked about was simply dancing to a music track. There were three songs. The first two were done solo by the Halloween maid and the third was done as a pair by the Halloween maid and another maid. Amusingly, one of the middle-aged men got up to dance with two lightsticks. Later, both of the middle-aged men moved to be closer to the stage and the dancing maid.
Did you want to take a picture? For a small payment of ¥800, you can have a souvenir photo with your favourite maid! You are not supposed to take pictures of the maids in any other circumstance. I opted not to do this, but my friend did and it was something she dearly wanted to do. The maid made a heart with my friend to look cute together.
As we ate our food, guests entered or left. The pair of middle-aged men continued to slowly sip their drinks in the Star Area. I eventually left, too.
This would have been the end, but I accidentally walked into the elevator with the decorative ears still on my head. The Halloween maid at the bottom stopped me to ask for my ears back by calling, “Ojou! Ojou!” Then, we proceeded out of the building and back into the streets of Akihabara.
