Akihabara is known for the anime culture, idol group performances, video game merchandise, figurines and maid cafe.
The most popular maid cafe is the world-famous @home cafe (“at-home cafe”) and members will return to the United States for a special appearance at Saboten Con 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. Saboten Con will be held on August 30 – September 2, 2019, at the Sheraton Grand Phoenix.
@home cafe’s Chief Branding Officer Hitomi will represent the award-winning restaurant chain, which is Akihabara’s longest-running food and entertainment maid cafe.
Hitomi will be accompanied by @home cafe’s Premium maids Chimu and Mizukin as the three will be demonstrating authentic Japanese maid service and participate in several key events at the convention, including the fashion show, masquerade and will have a live concert.
“I’m so excited to visit Phoenix for the first time,” Hitomi said. “The image of Arizona seems so sunny and bright, with cactus (“saboten”) everywhere… it will be a fun challenge to bring ‘moe’ to such an exciting place. @home cafe’s goal is to spread the authentic maid culture that was born in Japan to even more places worldwide, and we’re looking forward to meeting everyone and creating special memories!”
@home cafe’s Hitomi@home cafe’s Chimu@home cafe’s Mizukin“@home cafe” (at-home cafe) was established in 2004 and is the longest-running food and entertainment maid cafe in Akihabara.
Led by world-famous maid Hitomi, one of the cafe’s original members and now its Chief Branding Officer, @home cafe welcomes masters and princess of all ages and nationalities to its 6 “mansions” in the center of Akihabara and to their newest location in Osaka, which opened in 2019.
@home cafe provides guests with happy, family-friendly entertainment and delicious “kawaii”-themed food and drinks as 370 of the world’s top-level maids cast a spell to make everything magical!
“Moe moe kyun” – the original “maid spell” created by Hitomi – has become famous to fans of maid cafes and Akihabara culture across the world.
Starting in 2015, @home cafe has collaborated with Sanrio characters Hello Kitty, Gudetama, Cinnamoroll, My Melody, and Pompompurin, where guests at @home cafe’s mansions can enjoy special collaboration dishes and cute, character-matching maid uniforms.
Every year, the “@home cafe maids of the year” ranking is held, where the year’s top premium maids are selected and awarded additional duties as maid culture ambassadors.
@home cafe premium maids have made special appearances at international events in the United States, Chile, Mexico, Russia, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia, delighting masters and princesses with authentic Japanese maid culture and “moe”.
@home cafe’s goal is to serve maid culture all over the world, moving further forward each year to more countries and pop culture events!
Recently, I had the chance to interview Hitomi, Chimu and Mizukin about their upcoming appearance at Saboten Con 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona.
NEO-TOKYO 2099: Since we first visited @home cafe in Akihabara many years ago, it’s amazing to see how much the cafe has grown. What do you think is the big part of what makes @home cafe successful?
Hitomi: I think this is because all the staff working at @home cafes, including the maids who serve, have a strong commitment to delivering “fun” and “moe” to those everyone who visits.
NEO-TOKYO 2099: Hitomi, you are one of the café’s original members and you and many maids have worked hard to promote maid culture all over the world. Aside from creating the popular “moe moe kyun”, what do you each feel is your best memory working at @home cafe?
Hitomi: I’ve been to 10 different countries to introduce our authentic maid culture, so it’s easy to see that maid culture is getting very popular all over the world, not just in Japan. I’m grateful to meet so many masters and princesses and to see them enjoying our maid performances. Every time I see their smiles it brings me joy and I feel proud to be a maid.
Chimu: For me, it’s that I was able to become one of @home cafe’s Premium Maids. At first, I wasn’t sure I if I qualified, but now I’m enjoying the responsibility of being one of the top maids at the very best maid cafe. It’s exciting and brings a lot of opportunities, like being an ambassador to spread our unique culture all over the world.
Mizukin: I was so proud to when I passed the test to serve as a maid at @home cafe. I really admired Hitomi and wanted to become a maid like her, and now I’m wearing this Premium Maid uniform! I’m cheerful and happy like I’m surrounded by magic. Every moment here is special and I guess it’s because I love this place so much.
NEO-TOKYO 2099: Having seen anime culture in Akihabara and throughout Japan, seeing Japanese pop culture in another countries, what surprises you the most?
Hitomi: When we get invited to international events, we meet so many people that we can’t meet in Japan. There are people who get so excited about the charms of Japan in ways I don’t expect, and it’s really a joy to see the wonderfulness of our Japanese culture through different eyes. I’m very grateful for those encounters, and I want to meet more people and hear stories about their countries, too.
Chimu: I had the chance give maid service at an event in Chile, and I was so happy to see that masters and princesses on the other side of world love us, too. There was a young princess who was looking forward to coming to Japan and she was so excited to tell us about that. Seeing someone so excited to come to my country always motivates me to do my best every day! The experience overseas is always leaves such a deep impression on me, I want other maids to experience that too.
NEO-TOKYO 2099: There are differences between maid cafes around the world compared to Japan, especially with @home cafe. But I always wondered, what makes @home cafe different from other maid cafes in Japan and around the world?
Hitomi: @home cafe creates a special, magical world around our masters and princesses every moment they’re with us, from the time they enter to the moment we wave goodbye. I’ve been serving as a maid for 15 years and I’m confident that my masters and princesses in Japan from other countries will be smiling because of @home cafe’s hospitality. I want them to experience true and authentic maid culture every time.
Chimu: I think @home cafe has the most entertainment elements! And I think that so much effort goes into creating a positive atmosphere and giving the best hospitality to every single person, not only to our masters and princesses, but to our maid friends and shop staff who we call “fairies”.
Mizukin: At @home cafe, our maids are always thinking about what to do to entertain our masters and princesses who come home to their mansion. I guess we have the pride of being at the top and it gives us a reason to work harder. And of course, I have to say that @home cafe maids are all really, really cute!
@home cafe – 15th Anniversary Music Video
“Aikome♡Forever”
NEO-TOKYO 2099: I’ve been to @home café in Akihabara a few times. But a question that I have heard from people who live outside of Japan is, does the experience change each time they come back? In other words, can they expect something new or different?
Hitomi: Depending on the number of times you return home to your mansion, you can accumulate points for the owner’s license card. Many fun bonuses and services become available depending on the card rank.
Chimu: No matter how many times you come, @home cafe gives you new things to discover, and you’ll see some maids stepping up to the next level and see the changes in their maid uniforms. Each mansion has a different interior and special menus, plus we have a lot of seasonal campaigns that you can definitely enjoy, so there’s never a chance to get bored! The more you come back, the more you will enjoy your mansion.
Mizukin: There are 6 mansions in Akihabara, and 1 mansion in Osaka, and each store has different maids, so it’s fun to visit all the mansions and enjoy service from all the different faces and personalities of our maids. You can also enjoy the difference in the atmosphere and special events in each place. We’ll be so happy to see you again.
NEO-TOKYO 2099: Do you have any projects at @home cafe that you would like our readers to know (anything coming up that you can talk about)?
Hitomi: @home cafe will celebrate its 15th anniversary in August this year! So this year we’re going to work harder than ever before to help our masters and princesses enjoy and celebrate their time with us!
Chimu: We’re preparing so many fun projects for the special 15th anniversary! I’m looking forward to everyone seeing the music video for our new song! It’s so cute!
Mizukin: We are heading to Saboten Con this month, too, and I can’t wait to show everyone our authentic maid service and talk to everyone about Akihabara’s maid culture. I hope we can meet lots of people and maybe dance together, too!
NEO-TOKYO 2099: What final words do you have for your fans worldwide?
Hitomi: @home cafe has six stores in Akihabara and one in Osaka! More than 350 maids are waiting for you to come home to your mansion. Moe moe kyun!!!
Chimu: When you come to Tokyo, please come back to @home cafe in Akihabara! Remember, @home cafe is your home! I’m looking forward to sharing our “moe moe kyun” moments together! And if we can’t meet in Japan, I’m looking forward to seeing my masters and princesses in other countries too!
Mizukin: Okaerinasaimase (welcome back)! We’re ready to deliver “moe” and smiles to our masters and princesses. We look forward to seeing you return home to your mansion!
Please visit the official website for @home cafe and also on Instagram, Facebook and on Twitter.
Saboten Con will be held August 30 – September 2, 2019, at the Sheraton Grand Phoenix. Information: http://www.sabotencon.com
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