Okay, so Fukuoka is not the maid-metropolis like Akiba, where maids line every street corner trying to lure hapless otakus to their café with promises of food, pampering and the finest cat-eared French maids that Tokyo has to offer (girls wearing cat ears – it’s a Japanese thing), but if it’s maid cafes or otaku goods you’re after you can find it all in Fukuoka – you just have to know where to look!｜ω ≦)～☆

【Rumour：when a customer enters a maid café he/she is greeted with, “Welcome back Master!” (or “Mistress”)】

First of all, an abundance of cute maids! In store you'll even find a "menu" of sorts, listing all the maids in service at the cafe along with their photos, profile, likes/dislikes, etc. Secondly, as an added service your maid will “cutify” your food and drinks for you! The maids at Tenjin Style recommended me the caramel latte (700 Yen/approx. $8) and omu-rice (1200 Yen/approx. $16) and I readily complied. Food and drinks are brought out to your table very much unadorned, rather like blank canvases, and that’s when the cutification begins! The maids will request what you want drawn on your order and they will gladly oblige!

And you don’t have to be an otaku to enjoy maid cafes! In fact, according to the staff at Tenjin Style, the majority of their customers are just regular office workers. There’s a very homely atmosphere to maid cafes and the maids go out of there way to make you feel like more than just another customer, so it’s not surprising that the popularity of these establishments in Japan has spread beyond otaku culture and are now enjoyed by the general public also.

Your maid will even add her own personal touch to the polaroid once it's done (which makes for a great memento!). (You can check out Kotori's polaroid superimposed on the photo below.)

Admittedly, I began the day feeling a little tired and not very enthusiastic at all, but after a visit to Tenjin Style I felt instantly genki! (and possibly a little high on my own ego :P）

If only every day could begin with a trip to a maid café!

Dan.

The maids～☆ from left: Koromo, Yukiya and Kotori. Thank you all for a great day!!

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