Butler Association Japan wants to provide training in legitimate maid skills, but says they can be applied to other professional fields as well.
“Maid School Japan” sounds like a pre-formed multimedia franchise. It’s extremely easy to imagine the trajectory of a 13-episode anime series about earnest newly enrolled students studying to become the best maids in Japan, followed by the gag manga spinoff, mobile game with plentiful alternate costume gacha-style purchases, collaboration cafe, and subsequent anime movie or second season, provided the merch sells well enough.
However, Maid School Japan is, in fact, not the latest ploy to pull otaku’s money from their wallets, and is instead an actual new educational institution that’s currently accepting applicants for its upcoming first term.
Created under the supervision of the Butler Association Japan, Maid School Japan’s goal isn’t to prepare its students to work in maid cafes. Instead, it seeks to provide training in legitimate household services to be provided to a wealthy clientele. The curriculum will cover 12 topics.
1. The foundational character and professional mindset of a maid
2. Manners, demeanor, and grooming
3. Communication techniques and mindful choices of words
4. Fundamentals and applied techniques of luxury home cleaning
5. Practical applications of table settings and meal service
6. Confidentiality obligations and handling of personal information
7. Understanding the way of life and needs of wealthy society
8. Fundamentals of household management
9. Care and management of clothing and valuables
10. Practical guest relations and VIP hospitality
11. International etiquette and global service
12. Comprehensive exercises and concluding examination
In addition to those hoping to become maids, the Japan Maid School says that its curriculum can be of use to a wide variety of professional fields, from those working in travel or general hospitality positions to salespeople, consultants, executive assistants, and other jobs where attentiveness, polished communication, and sophisticated support are helpful. Of course, a salesperson might not really have much need to learn about, say, how to clean and store expensive articles of clothing, but Maid School Japan students can elect to attend only the classes that are of interest to them, though completing all 12 units is presumably a requirement to obtain a certificate of completion from the school. All classes will be conducted online through Zoom and taught by currently working maids or butlers.
Applicants must be at least 20 years old, but no prior experience working as a maid or within the hospitality field is required, and both female and male applicants are accepted. Classes will be held from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with the first term taking place from July 28 to September 3. The complete course has a tuition fee of 290,000 yen (US$1,815), while individual lessons are priced at 29,000. Attendance is capped at 20 students, and applications can be submitted online through the Butler Association Japan’s website.
Related: Butler Association Japan
Source: Butler Association Japan (1, 2) via Otakuma Keizai Shimbun via Hachima Kiko
Images: Butler Association Japan
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