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Foreign Butler Cafe in Shibuya

February 24th, 2008 by James

foreign-butler

Anybody been to the cafe in Shibuya with foreign “butler” staff?

Just stepping over the threshold, Japanese woman can forget for a few hours that they are in Shibuya, one of the capital’s most crowded areas, and enter a world where a handsome man rushes to the tinkle of her bell, goes down one knee and asks: “Yes, my princess?”

The cafe offers a variety of homemade food, sweets and drinks, as well as photo shoots in which a favourite butler holds the woman in the air — and English lessons.

Since opening in mid-2006, Butlers Cafe has attracted around 2,000 frequent customers.

Yuki Nozaki, a 23-year-old childminder, and kindergarten teacher Aki Nakamura, 24, say they come at least once a month to enjoy a fleeting moment of romance.

“At first I was really shy about the concept of this cafe, but all the butlers are very cute, cheerful and sweet and, above all, the fact that they’re foreigners helps us to escape from reality,” Nozaki said.

“Even now after visiting so many times, we feel excited when the door opens. I need this kind of excitement in my life,” she said.

foreign-butler-cafe

More information, such as menu prices and photos, can be found at the official website of the butlers cafe. They are also hiring foreign men to work as butlers (just click on the Brad Pitt “WANTED” poster).

This butler cafe:
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37 Comments »

Comment by トミ
2008-02-24 22:16:02

What about Osaka ?

 
Comment by Brandon
2008-02-24 22:33:36

This would be worse than working at NOVA.

 
Comment by D-san
2008-02-24 23:10:24

hmmm….

*sending in application*

 
Comment by Eloy
2008-02-25 00:12:34

just an another way to make money off the maid craze.at least they don’t charge to slap you like others.

 
Comment by Ryry
2008-02-25 00:46:44

The guy in the middle of the second picture looks like a psycho… it must be the creepy eyes.

Comment by kabocha5000
2008-02-25 13:24:23

He kind of looks like he’s getting electrocuted.

 
 
Comment by James
2008-02-25 01:13:34

I wonder if they would hire a short, festively plump bearded man with a hearty laugh to be a butler :P

I’m just asking….for a friend of mine…yea..that’s my plausible reason for asking.

 
Comment by Erika
2008-02-25 01:39:23

Mmm, hotties. D:
The guy in the last photo holding that girl looks like he’s having a hard time, lol.

Comment by Karasu-kun
2008-02-25 07:58:50

Hotties? How long have you been at sea/in prison? The dude holding the girl looks like he belongs in A Flock Of Seagulls, and the other guys look like dorks and I have to agree, psychos.

Comment by Brett
2008-02-25 10:36:17

I was thinking more like Robert Smith of the Cure.

(Comments wont nest below this level)
 
 
 
Comment by Alec
2008-02-25 01:41:12

Sounds like it’d be loads of fun to work there but I came to Japan to learn Japanese so I won’t be applying (>_<)

 
Comment by cindy
2008-02-25 03:22:08

LOL. “yes, my princess?”

This reminds me of the the anime, “Ouran High School Host Club”

 
Comment by David
2008-02-25 03:35:10

I so totally want at job where I can about gay sex all day long with girl otaku! Kindergarten teacher girl otaku even.

I wonder if this work fits under an “humanities” visa.

 
Comment by bokou
2008-02-25 03:38:28

I am so gonna work there. HAHAHAHA

 
Comment by bokou
2008-02-25 03:44:06

I am soo gonna work there. Here I come.

 
Comment by 404error
2008-02-25 04:04:15

this is so dumb as any “maid” cafe…

but different mentality so why not if its goodpayed^^

Comment by 404error
2008-02-25 04:06:27

i meant japan has a different mentality regarding thsoe things^^

 
 
Comment by doinkies
2008-02-25 05:07:39

I’ve heard there’s one in Ikebukuro too. I wonder if they have foreign butlers at that one.

It’s basically the female otaku response to maid cafes.

 
Comment by NPC
2008-02-25 06:54:02

I would apply but I’m not a very good looking “foreigner”.
…never mind that I don’t live in Japan. :P

 
Comment by Montsan
2008-02-25 07:41:20

It’s more silly than stupid. The fact that it exists might make for an interesting analysis of a slice of Japanese society/culture, though.

Also, would it be possible to have more than two options in the polls? It’s a small issue, but I’ve found myself unable to really vote in many (let alone take the results seriously) because the answers are so black-and-white.

Comment by gabuchan
2008-02-25 10:55:51

True – this could be used as a basis to right a thesis for a masters degree.
I would work there just for the hype of it all.

 
 
Comment by Neil Duckett
2008-02-25 09:04:34

I expect a few foreigners can be found sniffing about out front and in the neighbouring cafe’s hoping some girls leave feeling a little genki!

 
Comment by MinoRamen
2008-02-25 10:08:30

Serious lack of self-respect for the guys that travel all the way to Japan and find themselves working here. But I guess they aren’t any worse than the thousands of female “gaijin” hostesses that abound Roppongi.

On the flipside what a haven this is for the foreign guys that are looking for Japanese girlfriends. It’s like an interracial e-Harmony built into a cafe and charging them 2000yen for a mediocre coffee and ham sandwich. Ridiculous menu prices! Are all maid-cafes this pricey?

Comment by TofuUnion
2008-02-26 16:28:41

You say it’s the lack of self-respect for those guys. But remind, there are much more young girls doing the similar things as hostesses.

As for the prices, I would rather say it’s not expensive at all for ” A Heaven “. At ordinary Japanese Host Club it costs multiple higher than this Foreign Butler Cafe.

 
 
Comment by Nick Ramsay
2008-02-25 10:32:19

So who are these guys? Somebody must know them. Let’s hear what they have to say about being a butler!

 
Comment by morningstar
2008-02-25 10:51:33

I guess most young ladies like to feel like or be treated like a princess. GET REAL!

 
Comment by supasupa
2008-02-25 11:39:11

If you’ve lived in Japan long enough, the fact that this place exists should come as no shock. its escapism and it’s everywhere, no matter how flimsy it comes off as.
Don’t get me wrong, though; these guys are 100% tools.

 
Comment by doodles
2008-02-25 13:30:38

wow, really say’s something about Japan. Amazing the fascination japanese girls have with white guys. I mean its not just hostess bars. But I remember how tall blond haired blue eyed guys would get recruited to Eikaiwa’s like no ones business not much so for their teach skills, but their eye candy worthiness. Way to go J-girls!

Comment by jiro
2008-02-26 04:20:40

more like busted up girls fascination with white guys, those girls in the pics are hurt.

 
 
Comment by morningstar
2008-02-26 10:56:44

I fine that the girls who goes to places like that are very Insecure . That is like fantasy land. Bad image for the young Japanese girls.

Comment by Garrett
2008-02-26 18:51:55

Oh, give them a bit of credit. How many of us go to a regular bar where we drink and talk shit with the guys and the bartender acts like it’s interesting? (If you don’t, you know someone who does.)

The girls might be insecure or, like most other people, they might find it funny. It’s a laugh. For the guys, it’s an easy job (I’m guessing working holiday-types), a laugh, and a chance to let out their inner New Wave star.

Is this really any worse an image for young Japanese girls than hostess bars, maid cafes, or toy stores are for men? It’s certainly better than real host clubs, isn’t it?

 
 
Comment by Thomas
2008-02-26 16:00:57

Do they only hire anorexic? I mean…some people actually work out and eat healthy….damn..it bring it back to the charisma man…

 
Comment by schmusedecke
2009-05-03 04:37:06

I think this type of cafes are fine. I don’t see anything wrong using a rare theme to entertain the customers. Is it so low a job to kneel before a girl and call her a princess?

I am not the girl princess-y type but I think it will still flatter me if I happen to visit one and be treated like royalty.

It’s interesting.

 
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