Bonus: Win a signed CD, postage paid from Japan, from Hina Ichigo. Read below for more…
On Tuesday night, the CScout Japan team was fortunate enough to be invited to what may have just been THE social event of the Christmas season…if you’re an otaku, anime fan to any degree, or simply a fan of the eclectic.
After an afternoon of filming with the crew of the NHK show @Human, we all dropped in on a Maid Christmas Party sponsored by maid clothier, optics shop, and cafe CandyFruit.
CandyFruit is one of the more fashionable brands of maid and princess wear, and used the event as both an exclusive Christmas party as well as a fashion show to show off their wares. This was NOT the typical maid cafe experience, as those tend to be much more low key and more cute than stylish. The sold out room had a wide range of guests, including other cosplayers and couples on dates who were up for paying around $80 per person for food, drinks, and a show.
Entertainment (aside from Bingo at the end) was provided by Hina Ichigo, resident CandyFruit maids who have formed a sugary sweet duo. As it’s impossible to do their performance justice, please check out the video and enter our drawing for a free CD!
Want a signed copy of Hina Ichigo’s CD titled Yume no naka demo Daisuki? Just leave a comment on this posting including your email address in the form (won’t be made public). On Christmas we’ll draw one random winner to receive the CD, as well as a CandyFruit handkerchief, compliments of CandyFruit!
Jump for more to comment…
This kind of event, being out of the standard maid cafe and presented as legitimate fashion and lifestyle, is a sign that trends such as maid cafes and anime culture are increasingly mainstream. Certainly the idea and images of “maid culture” have been in the media in recent years, but they were completely focused on the otaku (”geek”) community that has brought this about. Will geek culture suffer because of this, or does the acceptance of maids as mainstream verify that maid cafes aren’t just a passing fad?
Many thanks to NHK and CandyFruit for making this happen.
Michael is the Editor of JapanTrends.com and Director of the 
those are sugary voices O_O;;;;;;;;
Oh, good. I was almost worried japan’s unique sense of entertainment had dulled down. People mad enough to do this kind of thing are on my list of good people. There also on my list of absolutely mad people, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing…
Of course I want to win this absolutely awful CD, and the handkerchief! It’s all for the handkerchief…I swear…
That is pretty awesome! As usual, nice photos too.
um, um, um…I’m no otaku (I’m a 17 year old girl..how is that even possible then?) but I love maid outfits! So cute n___n I want one to wear! And Hina Ichigo! So cute!
You guys were very lucky to go to this type of event…it’s Japan immense variety of unique subcultures that really interest me. Even a subculture like ‘kawaii-kei’ has so many little spin offs from it!
This is just one of the many reasons I love your blog — without you I wouldn’t know about Hina Ichigo or the Wonderful Shot dog camera! Keep up the great work!
You lucky bastard…..
Damn, this is in Tokyo? Guess I’ll have to find it when I go there next week on holiday… =D
Looks like fun, I’m planning a trip to Tokyo this next year, and the Maid cafe will defently be on my to do list.
WOW! That looks like fun! I’ve seen maid cafes but this is on another level. You’re sooo lucky to have gone!
p.s. I love your blog!
pretty cool stuff! saw you on G4
That would have been an incredibly fun event to attend. I am extremely jealous! One day I will travel to Japan, and I hope that I find myself smack in the middle of that kind of fun.
So cute it defies a description in the English language.
I love the taste of Candyfruit, it’s soooo yummy!
;-)
I like seeing you on AOTS on G4, cool stuff!
I hope I win a Candyfruit disc, I’m very hungry for some!
I love this blog.
Thank you for sharing this tidbit of Japanese pop culture. Let’s hope maid cafes are not just a passing fad because someday, when I actually make it to Japan, I want to visit one. ^^
i have been checking out sites to get an idea of modern japanese culture so that when i can actually afford to go there i have some thing in mind. thanks man, although i dont quite understand the fascination with maids, this site has been awesome at giving me a glimpse, keep up the good work!
So cute! Damn I love the Japanese :) and I love this blog.
Great cover and pictures of the event! Would have been nice to be there. Thanks!
That’s seems pretty cool. Also, the $80 doesn’t seem bad at all for what it is (A good dinner theater it about that price). If I had the chance, I would have definitely tried to go. Also, all the maid costumes look really cute ^^
Anyways, I’d really like to win that CD. **Crosses fingers** …Maybe Santa will give me some luck ^^.
Their voices are pretty cute!
wow! you are one lucky bastard to get an exclusive invitation only maid xmas party ^___^
there are no words to explain the extreme moe-ness that the xmas party had and we would like to thank you for sharing this unique otaku experience ^^
imo, what’s happening to both the otaku and maid culture is somewhat a double edge sword, it’s both beneficial and harmful to the otaku community. beneficial ‘coz their what is considered as obscure and weird by the common normal folk is slowly being accepted. the harmful part and as a trade-off, it will lose its shine and essence that made what it is and what attracted the true otakus
afaik, otakus doesn’t want or need that much attention and yet they are like magnets that attracts attention
oh, the giggles that ensued.
You win.
Score one, Japan.
Awesome website, keep up the good work! Can’t wait to visit Japan in 2009
Wow, what a weird party. Wish I could have been there.
That’s almost creepy that that many women are willing to dress that silly to pretty much just be waitresses, not that I’m somehow someone who wouldn’t go to such an establishment.
Best Christmas event ever !! XD
Otaku suffer from maid…bad or good XD
I think it’s kinda funny in a way. Seems like little snippets from the so-called otaku culture are leaking out little by little. Maybe one day, we will all be otakus and the normal people will be the ones we find creepy :P
I tried to go find that one maid cafe in Akiba last time I was there, and ran outta time (too busy doing stories and buying camera-related goodness that I really needed because I’m a filmmaker)
Maybe when I get back there in March, someone will be kind enough to tell me where it is in relation to the Tskuba Densha station…
PLEASE put me in for the free CD!!!!!
We are planning a MAID PARTY here in Dallas, TX. I wish I could wrap all of you up and bring you here!!! You guys look like you are having so much fun.
Rich
Hope maid cafes catch on outside Japan. Count me in for the CD draw. :)
Wow, lots of photos =)
It seems you had a good time
Count me in for the christmas CD ;-)
Wow! How do I get invited to an awesome party like this?
Definitely count me in for the CD draw.
Thanks
Awesome coverage. Thank you very much Trends in Japan!
Very interesting. Thanks for sharing this. I’d love to be in the CD draw.
I’m having palpitations here on the floor. I’ve never seen anything like this before. Japan girls totally rock or what!
I just ADORE the beautiful girls and their dresses. That video was goregous, and makes me wish I was there. *sigh* Heh.
I would love to be in the draw ^-^
Wow! I wanna live in Japan! Its soo awesome!
Simply Awesome!
Woah super cute!
Haha, too awesome.
Oh~ I wish I could have been there.. As a maid, too.
Count me in for the CD draw. D:
And also, is there anyway to buy the CD anywhere?
yaaa….m ..I’m a 22 year old girl..I love that maid shorts and cute outfits!I want one to wear!it and serve in it……..