Akihabara on sundays

I was told that in Akihabara on sundays, certain streets close, and the maids really come out in force, and pose for photos for the Otaku hordes.

On the sunday I was there last year, I could never find this area.

Indeed the only place I ever say one or two of the maids was outside the Akihabara station exit. Which streets normally close on sunday?

Dave,

I haven't been there myself on a Sunday, but I'm pretty sure it is the main Chuo-doori street that is closed to traffic. You really shouldn't be able to miss it!

Dave is right. the main street is the one that is closed. it is about 1/2 block from the Akihabara Loop line stop.
All the blogs I read note that only a few maids stand on the streets and hand out flyers for the cafe they work in. it wouln't make financial sense for the cafe owners to have the maids spend too much time posing for tourists!. Kelly Osbourne worked as a maid for a couple of hours, as part of a great show on Japan, and found the whole experience creepy. I agree, so if you go there promise me to be respectful of the young ladies and to do your own country proud....

Kelly Osborne did what?

Anyway, the closed main street, known officially as Hokousha Tengoku--Pedestrians' Paradise (or HokoTen for short) is there every Sunday. The "entertainment" on the street varies, however. There are times when cosplayers pose for pictures, times when large groups of people gather and dance to the beat of "Hare Hare Yukai." Bands or just a girl would be doing a street concert. Some porn actress' actually promote their DVDs in person during HokoTen. Street artists, weirdos, or just a lot of nothing. Something happens when it happens.

Thanks for the replies...when I saw Akihabara, it felt like I never quite found the heart of the place.

Is there a particular time on a sunday they close the street? When I went it was sunday morning, very busy, but no roads were closed, and the maids were AWOL...it felt like there was something going on round the corner but I never found it! After some aimless wandering, I gave up and head to Harajuku instead.

Which stores are on the main street?

I was there recently, and the maids were out on force, mainly because the streets were closed, you had more on the streets handing out fliers etc, it actually makes financial sense, more people, get more advertisers out there, and it seems to work very well there.

The street isn't closed every Sunday. I'm not sure about which Sundays it is though.

I tend to get into Akihabara about 3 times a month on either a Saturday or a Sunday.
Most Sundays, the maids are around, plus more when the street is closed.

Another query, a couple of times I asked maids outside the station, politely in Japanese if I might take a photo, they politely refused. On the sundays are they more willing to pose for tourist snaps?

Dave,

Another query, a couple of times I asked maids outside the station, politely in Japanese if I might take a photo, they politely refused. On the sundays are they more willing to pose for tourist snaps?

On the few times I've been there, the maids handing out fliers seem to be more than willing to pose for photos, whether it's for foreign tourists, Japanese salarymen, or Akiba otaku.
While they are of course "working" and entitled to refuse photos, being photographed seems to be part and parcel of the job.
From what I hear, many of the maids and cosplayers that hang out on the Hokoten street zone are not connected with maid cafes, but are usually happy to pose for photos. It's not unusual to see guys in maid costumes or school uniforms either.