OSAKA (Kyodo) A parking garage has hired young women to dress up as maids and work as parking attendants in an Osaka district dotted with subculture shops.
Similar to their counterparts at "maid cafes," young women attired in French housemaid costumes of miniskirts and aprons greet customers with the words, "Welcome home, master," at the Moeria pay parking facility that opened in December in the Nipponbashi district.
The operator, Park Queen Co., hired young women with experience working at maid cafes or were interested in working at one, to stand out among the growing number of parking lots in the city.
"Our selling point is that customers can enjoy communication with 'maids.' We sought to create a parking facility that customers would want to try out," employee Hiroshi Ogi said.
When not busy, the maids provide window cleaning services and offer tea to drivers.
"We are the same as maid cafe waitresses in that our job is to talk to our masters," an attendant named Ren said.
"Since I have to stand outside, it's physically demanding, but the customers give me treats and disposable pocket warmers," another attendant, Aika, said.