For several years now, places like Refresh Club have been popping up in places like Tokyo's Akihabara and Osaka's Den-Den Town. The selling point for Refresh Club is that this isn't simply playing video games, but it's reflexology with Wii games. There's also yoga, foot massages, and an ear cleaning service!

"Playing Wii Fit by yourself is lonely," says the establishment's owner. "But here, playing along with a maid makes exercising enjoyable."

While Refresh Club is ¥2,600 (US$28) for a thirty minute course and ¥4,600 ($51) for an hour, there is a trial course that's only ¥1,500 ($17). But please note: Club Refresh has the right to refuse service of customers who have been drinking alcohol, have athlete's foot or are pregnant. Not sure if pregnant ladies are a huge market, but those are the rules and rules are rules.

Everyone else, it seems, can enjoy stretching, Wii gaming and ear cleaning with maids like Megumi. When she's not working as a maid, she's passing out fliers at car shows. She has a blog, check it out.

キャンディフルーツ リフレッシュクラブ −メイドさんがいる会員制リフレッシュクラブ [秋葉原マップ via JapanSugoi]

Maid cafe Curemaid Cafe is offering Chaos;Head themed drinks and food. Above are two drinks named after the game's characters. Left is "Sena Aoi," which is made of blue hawaii and berry soda. In the center is "Rimi Sakihata," which is made of pomegranate syrup and Calpis soda. The drink on the right? Cola.

It's not named after any Chaos;Head character, but will be free of charge to those who bring a copy of the game to Curemaid Cafe.

The story follows a high schooler who discovers a brutal murder while heading home. The murders continue and the student tries to contend with the reality that unravels around him.

The Choas;Head promotion at Curemaid Cafe in Akihabara ends on March 8. The memories live on forever.

カオスヘッドカフェ＠キュアメイドカフェ　2/25〜3/8 [Akihabara Map via Alafista]

Playing Wii Fit by yourself is lonely. But here, playing along with a maid makes exercising enjoyable.

Take this past weekend, for example. "Singer" and swimsuit model Asuka Sawamoto (link slightly NSFW) showed up in Akihabara, wearing a very short skirt and a pair of red underpants. Sawamoto proceeded to stand on the sidewalk and flash all of nerdom, which mobbed and took photo after photo. All this so Sawamoto could promote a live concert. Guess she succeeded! She also succeeded in giving the grounds for this police crackdown more weight. Good for her.

Hit the jump for Dead Rising version of this pic that Luke was kind enough to PhotoShop for shits and giggles.

Maid Hunt in Tokyo [Mainichi via Dark Diamond]
Totally NSFW Pics Here [Akiba Blog]

Paku Mune Ga Kyuun [Canned Dogs]

Know: From what I remember, there's a maid counter near retailer Gamers in Akihabara. Swing by, pick up a map, but be aware that photography is prohibited.
Maid Guides [Akibamap via Danny Choo]

Arcade play testing has become for Konami's moe-meets-Gradius boob bullet hell Otomedius. Here's footage of the game on "expert", which I hadn't seen before. It looks like a solid shooter from Konami, but that touch screen is a definite turn-off. Just imagine how smudgy with finger oil it gets. And during Japan's humid summer? GROSS. Brian Ashcraft

Otomedius Location Test [via Sazanami]

Humor me. This is *not* gaming related, but pure otaku. In Japan, shop staff often stand out front, droning into mics and making announcements about what products they are selling in hopes of enticing customers. In Akihabara, they do things a little different. Patrick Macias spotted this glasses store employee rapping about contacts, sunglasses and hearing ads. Yes, RAPPING. Blogs Macias:

I'm not sure how successful the sales pitch actually is, but I do know one thing. When he was in full "flow" no one was paying any attention to the maids nearby.

This is gold, gold I say. Brian Ashcraft

Super Megane [Patrick Macias via Japan Sugoi]

Starring Iroha the Maid from Samurai Spirits, this self-titled SNK cellphone lets players turn Iroha into the greatest maid in the world. How you may ask? By setting schedules and tests for her. Not only that, but also increase her five stats: love, intellect, physical strength, manner and figure. Yes, Japanese maids need not only to be smart and have big jubblies, but strong as an ox! Iroha is SNK's poster child of late: There is also a DS scheduling "game" called Techou Maid Techo that features Iroha and a hundred different outfits. Talk about being a clothes horse! Brian Ashcraft

SNK Cell Phone Maid Game [Insert Credit]

For residents and visitors, here's a guide to Akihabara's maid cafes. There's the cathedral St. Grace's Court with its maids dressed like Bridget from Guilty Gear and the PS3 maid cafe Little PSX, which we've featured before. Other mentions are the bear-eared Cos-Cha vixens, the foot massaging Mai Relax and the prim and proper aromatherapy Melty Cure. God, feet, scent therapy and the PS3 — Something for everyone. Brian Ashcraft

Maid Guide [Watch Impress via Tokyo Mango]

How do you get a nation hypnotized by Nintendo back into pro wrestling? Got me, but this is what Kansai International Pro-Wrestling is doing. This ad to show wrestling's better than gaming is so darn goofy, it's charming. And that in the maid's hand? It no Wii-mote, but kamaboko. Brilliant! Brian Ashcraft

What's better than buying a PLAYSTATION 3? Paying to rent a PS3 and Japanese maid, that's what! Akihabara's maid cafe LittlePSX has apparently secured a handful of consoles for customers to enjoy. PS3-ing and then taking a Polaroid with a maid costs 400 yen (US $3.40). Eating a plate of curry rice while (yes, WHILE) playing the PS3 is 800 yen ($6.79). And just you and the machine is 200 yen ($1.70). Play is for one hour, and games include Resistance, Ridge Racer 7 and Gundam. Customers can bring their own as well!

To sum it up: BEST DEAL IN JAPAN. Brian Ashcraft

Nice PS3 Gimmick [MaidBlog]

Humor me. This isn't strictly game related, but it's the first I've heard of a foreign "celeb" using a maid cafe for self-promotion. Hence my excitement and desire to share.

It's a well know fact that famous Hollywood people come to Japan and star in TV commercials for buckets of money. Small time famous people come to Japan too and do embarrassing publicity stunts like appearing in wear frilly dresses at maid cafes in hopes of getting game nerds to support their crappy music.

Seventeen year-old Georgia native, teeny bop model and former Radio Disney person Katelyn Tarver is touring Akihabara to push her new album "Brand New Day," which will go on sale first in Japan and then later in the US. Launch first in a non-English speaking country. Always the mark of quality for any up and coming artist! Brian Ashcraft

Baffled, Truly Baffled [Akiba Blog]

One of my favorite Japan writers Patrick Macias hosts a look at Akihabara's maid cafes for NHK. It's a bit for noobs, but Patrick's screaming "moe" makes it worth a look. Brian Ashcraft

Maid Forever [Patrick Macias via Dark Diamond]