Maid cafes have been a big part of Japanese pop culture for a while now, but the maid phenomenon is transitioning into other areas as well. For example, a new gym near Tokyo’s famous Akihabara district offers patrons the chance to work out while assisted by beautiful trainers wearing maid costumes.
女仆咖啡馆成为日本流行文化的一大组成部分已经有一段时间了，但是女仆现象还在不断蔓延到其他领域。这不，日本东京著名的秋叶原区新开的一家健身馆就向顾客提供“女仆陪练”的服务，让美丽的教练穿上女仆的服装。
Can you imagine pumping some iron with a cute maid spotting you and cheering you on? Well, apparently a lot of Japanese guys can and they’re loving the idea. So much so that they’ve helped successfully crowdfund the MAID GYM project thought up by a couple of young Japanese entrepreneurs. With more than a month to go to the deadline, the campaign to make the unique maid gym a reality has already met its 700,000 yen goal, on Japanese crowdfunding site CampFire. It’s not clear exactly when the Maid Gym will open its gates, but it’s definitely coming soon.
你能想象可爱的女仆看着你锻炼，给你加油打气吗？显然很多日本男人都可以，而且他们也很喜欢这个主意。正因为有他们的强力支持，几个年轻的日本企业家才成功地通过众筹把女仆健身馆付诸实践。在离截止日期还有一个多月的时候，这个独一无二的女仆健身馆在日本众筹网站CampFire上筹到的资金就已经达到了70万日元的目标。目前还不清楚女仆健身馆何时会开门迎客，但肯定是不远了。
Details about the upcoming MAID GYM are yet to be revealed, but we already know it’s not going to be one of those big, crowded places most of us are used to. RocketNews24 reports that this will be a more intimate gym, with the number of customers at one time limited to three, each with their very own maid trainer. While a young girl wearing a Victorian maid outfit doesn’t exactly scream fitness knowledge, the unusual-looking trainers will apparently know all about using the various exercise machines and instruct patrons on how to best achieve their goals. Plus, they’ll be offering verbal encouragement like “Don’t worry, you won’t fall as long as I’ve got you,” or “Excellent work, master! You’re getting stronger every day,” as well as spot their “masters” as they bench press.
女仆健身馆的各种细节还有待披露，但我们已知的是它不会是大多数人熟悉的那种拥挤的大型场所。据RocketNews24网站报道，这将是一个更具有私密性的健身馆，每个时段来健身馆的客人只能限制在三位，每个人都配有自己的女仆教练。穿着维多利亚女仆服装的年轻女孩不一定懂健身，但是漂亮的女教练一定知道如何使用各种健身器材以及如何教导客户来实现自己的健身目标。此外，这些女教练还会提供口头鼓励，如“别担心，有我在你不会跌倒的”或者“做得很棒，主人！你变得越来越强壮了”，她们还会在“主人”做仰卧推举的时候给他数数。
But since clients are guaranteed to enjoy the maids’ undivided attention, they are expected to pay a premium for this unique service. According to Japan Trends, a 50-minute training session is expected to cost ¥7,500 ($66), which includes a drink, but maid fans also have to pay a mandatory membership fee of ¥10,000 ($89) before their first session. It won’t be the cheapest, but certainly not the most expensive gym in Tokyo, either.
不过，因为客户能享受到女仆的专一服务，他们也将为这项独特的服务支付额外费用。据Japan Trends透露，50分钟的训练课程将花费7500日元（66美元），包括酒水在内。不过客人们必须在第一节课程前强制交1万日元（89美元）的会员费。这不会是东京最便宜的健身馆，当然也不会是最贵的。
Why maids are so popular in Japan? What makes them so special? Some people seem to think it has to do with the importance of servitude in Japanese culture. Being a loyal servant is apparently one of the most admirable things a person can do, an idea that ties in with the famous samurai, sworn-servant warriors who would prove their loyalty to their masters by taking their own lives, after they passed away.
为什么女仆文化在日本如此盛行？是什么让女仆在日本如此特别？有些人似乎认为这和日本文化中奴役的重要性有关。作为忠仆显然是一个人能做的最光荣的事情，这种情结和武士在主人去世后会自杀以示效忠有关。
“The maid and butler are considered the ultimate “servants,” specially trained and selected for their ability to serve. Add a bit of cuteness/hotness, mixed with that culturally ingrained admiration for the common qualities of a maid/butler and you have a cultural phenomenon,” user antx0r wrote on anime forum Crunchyroll.
“日本的女仆和男仆都被认为是终极‘仆人’，因其服务能力被挑选出来并经过特别训练。加入一点可爱或性感，再融合进根植于日本文化的对仆人的赞赏，就产生了这种文化现象。” 一位名为antx0r的用户在动漫论坛Crunchyroll上写道。
Other people just think that it has to do with the concept of “moe“, a term used in the media to describe young, innocent-looking female characters in Japanese manga and anime, to which otaku are generally attracted to.
其他人则认为女仆现象和“萌妹子”有关，就是日本动漫中那种看上去很无辜的年轻女性形象，这种萌妹子对御宅族具有普遍的吸引力。