Japan: 6 weird and wonderful services just for women

Japan: 6 weird and wonderful services just for women

1. Butler cafes

Get treated like a princess in the female-friendly version of Japan's popular cosplay-inspired maid cafes. Butler cafes (and one that boasts "foreign" butlers where the staff all speak English) allow women to be waited on hand and foot by their very own prince charming in a castle-themed restaurant. Guests can also choose to have their photograph taken being lifted up in the arms of the dashing and debonaire butlers for Y1,500.

2. The nap cafe

Dedicated to those in need of a power-nap, Tokyo's Nap Cafe Corne offers Japanese women the chance to grab some sleep in a man-free zone. Designed for ladies wanting a break from their busy working schedule, the nap cafe opens on weekdays between 8am and 6pm to provide comfy sleeping quarters, and a choice of pillow, at the small charge of Y150 per 10 minutes.

3. Women only train carriages

In 2005, the problem of persistent groping on public transport forced officials to open women-only carriages on Tokyo's underground and private trains. The carriages, marked with pink "Women Only" stickers printed in Japanese and English, were introduced after alternative measures - such as posting warning signs and plain-clothes female police officers - failed to reduce sexual.

4. Anti-loneliness cafes

Table for one? Visit the new crop of restaurants consoling lonely diners with a spot of company in the form of a giant stuffed animal. Aimed at ohitorisama or "singletons", a word commonly used in Japan to refer to unmarried women, the Moomin Cafe in Tokyo seats solo customers opposite cuddly toys based on the characters from Finland's Moomin books. The cafe has been so popular, there are now plans to export the concept to New York.

5. Communal living areas

Shared living facilities are commonplace in Tokyo, but an establishment built solely to house single mothers opened last year in Osaka's port district. For young mothers and divorcees who lack the resources to live alone, Mon Place offers affordable accommodation at around Y40,000 per month, and requires no guarantors or down-payments.

6. Rent-a-boyfriend services

Non-sexual rent-a-date services for men have been popular for years in Japan, but now women are getting in on the action. Soine-ya Prime offers a range of handsome male "cuddle partners" for hire: women can opt for a peaceful night's sleep in their companion's arms or a "Date Plan", where they can pick from a range of activities such as enjoying a meal or watching the sun set. Male "host clubs" are also becoming increasingly popular among Tokyo businesswomen, who pay an hourly fee to drink, talk and flirt with attractive men.