The roots of "moe" that has taken the world by storm can be found here! The Cure Maid Café, the birthplace of Akihabara's maid culture, is a report on its experience! Shun Gori's Akiba Exploration

As we call ourselves "Akiba Research Institute," we should introduce the culture and roots of Akihabara! That's why we have started " Shun Gori's Akiba Exploration, " a series of articles on Akihabara's famous spots and new culture.

• We hope you enjoy reading it as well!
• What to do when you go there? 30 recommended excursions and sightseeing spots in Akihabara!

It would be impossible to talk about the culture of Akihabara over the past 20 years without mentioning "moe. However, even after more than 40 years of observing Akihabara's transition, I have only been to a "maid café" twice.

The history of maid cafes in Japan is surprisingly old, with "Café Lion" in Ginza during the Meiji period (1868-1912) being said to be the original. However, it took nearly 100 years for "maid cafes," rooted in Akiba culture, to emerge.

The maid boom that emerged in the bishojo game world in the 1990s established the maid attribute as a category of moe in otaku culture, and coffee shops with unique costumes began to appear in the real world as well.
In 1999, a crossover of these cultures led to the appearance of "Cafe de Cospa" in Akihabara, where cosplay clerks served customers. This "Cafe de Cospa" became the forerunner of the "Cure Maid Café," which opened in March 2001. This is said to be the beginning of the Akiba maid café culture that has continued to the present day.

This time, we visited the "Cure Maid Café," the birthplace of maid cafés, to experience the origin of Akihabara's moe culture.

Cure Maid Café was the first maid café in Japan to open in 2001 with the concept of a "healing space," and currently operates on the 4th floor of the main Onoden store, a 3-minute walk from JR Akihabara Station. It originally operated at G Store Akiba (Mn Building) in Sotokanda 3-chome, Chiyoda-ku, but moved to its current location in December 2020.

The interior of the store has a relaxed atmosphere based on a warm, woody brown tone, with background music to match. Some of the tables have been in use since the restaurant's opening, marking a history of more than 20 years.

The store is also decorated with photos from when it was in its original location before the relocation, which reminds one of the long history of the store.

As the first maid café in Japan, it has been visited by many famous people, and their autographs are displayed in the store.
In addition, collaborations with anime and movies are frequently held, and limited collaboration goods that can only be purchased here are sold at the sales corner by the cash register.

Speaking of maid cafes, the maids' costumes are the face of the store, and at Cure Maid Café, the maids are dressed in traditional long dresses, with a classical English Victorian style.
The long-dress maids' uniforms match perfectly with the relaxed atmosphere of the restaurant, which makes a very favorable impression.

Of course, it is not only the uniforms that are British-style. There is a full menu of scones, waffles, and other English-style dishes. Cure Maid Café is also particular about its tea, and has been certified as a "delicious tea store" by the Japan Tea Association.

On the other hand, Cure Maid Café was originally intended to be a coffee shop where customers could enjoy a meal in a relaxed atmosphere in Akihabara, where there were few restaurants at the time of its opening, and it offers a full menu to fill one's stomach.
The best example of this is "Champion's Curry. Champion Curry is the original Kanazawa Curry restaurant established in 1961, and Cure Maid Café sells curry using its roux. The Kojimachi branch, Kudan Sanbancho, and Cure Maid Café are the only places in Tokyo where you can eat this curry. One of the features of this café is that you can enjoy such authentic curry and omelet rice, a standard menu item at maid cafés, at reasonable café prices.

This time, I ordered the black tea Darjeeling and the omelette rice with demi-glace sauce from the menu.
A short time after ordering, a maid dressed in a classical maid's uniform brewed a cup of authentic tea in front of me.
In my image of a maid café, this is the part where the maid starts saying, "Then I'll brew you some LOVE - moe moe moe ......," but at this store, the tea is brewed very quietly and carefully. The maid's movements as she brews the tea are also very picturesque.
The atmosphere of the store, the maids' clothes, and their manners are unlike anything I have ever experienced before. In the always noisy Akihabara, this is truly a healing experience.

The tea is served in a pot, so you can enjoy it for a long time, and they offer hot water, so you can relax and enjoy this atmosphere.

While enjoying the delicious tea, the main dish of omelette rice with demi-glace sauce arrived.
Of course, there was no "Let me write a message in ketchup for you" at this time, but the dish was served quietly and carefully.

The Omurice Demi-glace Sauce is a dish of a tender omelette rice topped with an authentic demi-glace sauce. Of course, this is not a retort, but an authentic dish made one by one in the kitchen upon order.

The harmony of the demi-glace sauce, tender egg, and well-seasoned rice is extremely delicious. The portion is also very generous, so this dish was enough to fill me up even though I was in the mode of being hungry without lunch.

On the same floor, there is also an eat-in terrace called "Entas Cure Terrace," which offers a view of Akihabara and the JR Sobu Line, and can be used by taking out a drink from the restaurant.
Electric outlets and USB ports are available here, so you can relax or work while enjoying the view of Akihabara.

The atmosphere of the store, the maids' costumes, the maids' manners, and even the food served were a wonderful experience that showed us what a maid café is really like, and what the origin of "moe" is all about.
If you happen to be in Akihabara, why don't you stop by the Cure Maid Café?

In addition, a collaboration café with the TV anime "THE IDOLM@STER CINDERELLA GIRLS U149" will be held from Thursday, November 23 (national holiday), where you can enjoy seeing idols in CURE MAID CAFÉ uniforms, as well as collaborative menus and goods.

Click here for details ( # )

In addition, the "limited time only drink that changes every month" currently being offered is titled "Black Tea Month" and will feature the rarely seen Mie brand "Ise Japanese Black Tea" and "Cinnamon Tea". Try these as well.

Facility Information

Name: CURE MAID CAFÉ

Address: G-Store Akiba, Onoden Honten 4F, 1-2-7 Sotokanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

Phone number: 03-3258-3161

Business hours: 11:00 - 20:00, last order FOOD 19:00 / DRINK 19:30

Closed: No holidays (closed at the beginning of the year and during inventory (twice a year))

Official website：#

Official X (former Twitter): #

Official Instagram: #

Store MAP