Maids are a staple of Japanese otaku subculture, with maid cafes, where maids serve food and drink to guests while treating them like kings, being a shining example. In recent years the appeal of maids has expanded its umbrella to include even a gym where maids act as a personal trainer to motivate otaku to get fit, as well as a vocational "otaku training school" that teaches young women the ropes of the maid and cosplay business.

Following the education route, Shibuya-based programming school Gifted Academy has launched a project to help maids and video game and virtual reality programming students alike by giving their classrooms the allure of programmers and maids studying together.

It's called the MadeInMaidFamily Project, and although the maids act and speak in the same formal style that they do at maid cafes, they participate in the courses as students as well. The idea behind the project is two-fold, but rooted in open-communication between maids and other students. Programming students who may be more introverted, have social communication issues, or simply lack the motivation to open up and be enthusiastic during a rigid lecture can feel encouraged to share what they have learned and discuss things with a supportive and cute maid. After all, part of a maid's day-job is to listen her customers.

The other benefit to these types of open courses is to help maids acquire skills not practiced or learned during their job of...maiding. In the same friendly atmosphere they are used to at a maid cafe, they can interact with their fellow students and learn skills to boost their career prospects.

You can check out the official website to make reservations for three hour courses that cost 2,000 yen.