Information

📍 Location: EPFL, Lausanne. Opening hours: Saturday 10:00–20:00 • Sunday 10:00–18:00.
There are several ways to get to Japan Impact:

- 🚇 Public transport:
Our partnership with Mobilis gives you access to a ‘Grand Lausanne’ day pass (Zone 11+12) for the day(s) corresponding to your chosen ticket, included directly in pre-sales tickets!
All the details about this offer and the metro and bus stops are in the Mobilis Offer panel below.
Please note: this offer is only available for pre-sale tickets and does not apply to tickets purchased on site during the weekend.

- 🚗 By car:
If you choose to come by car, please be aware that parking spaces are limited. You may have to drive a long way to find one.
Here are the car parks near the convention:
- Rolex underground car park (~ 12 min walk)
- "Parc des Innovations" car park (~ 10 min walk)

The best way to get to the convention without any hassle is undoubtedly by public transport. In order to reduce our carbon footprint and facilitate the access to the event, we have entered into a partnership with Mobilis. Thanks to this partnership, a ‘Grand Lausanne’ day pass (Zone 11+12) is included directly in pre-sale tickets!
Find out more about the Mobilis zones by clicking on this link.
How does it work?
When booking your pre-sale ticket on our website, enter your personal details (Surname, First name, Age). We will then generate your Mobilis day pass and add it directly below your admission ticket.
Make sure you always have a ticket in good condition with you when travelling, so that you can show it if asked to do so during a ticket inspection. During inspections, you will need to prove your identity, so we advise you to take proof of identity with you.
Please note that this benefit is only available with pre-sale tickets and will not be included with tickets purchased on site during the convention weekend. The day pass is only valid for the day indicated on the ticket!

In general, the convention’s only entrance is located on the Ada Lovelace square (more information here).

Coming from the m1 metro, one line will be dedicated to buying tickets on-site (payment by card, Twint, or cash possible) and the other to people who already have their ticket (physical or digital).

The on-site ticketing will be accessible at the intersection with Route de la Sorge, here, before the line for the security check.

A security check will take place in the line before your ticket is scanned and a fabric wristband is placed on your wrist. Each ticket can only be scanned once, but your wristband allows you to leave and re-enter the convention for the corresponding day(s).

Our convention opens its doors at 10 am on Saturday and Sunday.

For those participating in the cosplay contests or the Idol contests, details regarding outfits or access to the convention can be found in the corresponding rules or discussed during your registration.

Entry into Japan Impact is subject to a security check, based on a few rules.

Let us begin by recalling that any object whose carrying in public is prohibited by Swiss law is of course banned, as well as all objects with metallic edges (including notably spiked bracelets/belts if the tips are not rounded), with the exception of utilitarian objects such as umbrellas, parasols, etc.

We emphasize that weapon replicas resembling firearms must not enter the convention.

Nevertheless, most accessories are allowed, with one clear guideline: build light! The lighter and softer the materials used to craft your accessory, the more likely it is that you will be allowed to enter with it. For example, a retractable plastic lightsaber will be accepted.

A member of the organizing committee will also regularly be present at the entrance of the convention to assist with the verification of accessories.

Alcohol is prohibited within the convention.

Pets are also prohibited within the convention, except for assistance animals.

Faces must be uncovered, except for medical masks. For security reasons, anyone wearing a mask fully covering their face may be refused entry or asked to remove it.

For safety reasons, the following dangerous items are prohibited within the convention, including but not limited to:

- all real weapons (automatic, firearms, pistols, rifles, hunting guns, replicas, gun parts, etc.);
- rigid objects over 1m20 in length;
- heavy, massive, or very solid objects;
- sprays (in particular pepper spray); hairspray is allowed if its volume is under 100 mL;
- stun devices;
- cutlery and blades (knives, daggers, katanas, etc.);
- devices designed to injure humans (batons, brass knuckles, slingshots, etc.);
- antique weapons.

Regarding fake weapons, any weapon that could be mistaken for a firearm is strictly prohibited.

For other types of weapons, to be admitted they must be made of “soft” and lightweight material (for example balsa wood), without risk of injury.

Official uniforms (military, firefighter, etc.) as well as highly similar outfits are not permitted inside the convention. In the event of a police intervention, they could cause confusion and impede proper procedures.

The following materials are generally allowed for cosplays and accessories:

- Acrylic
- Aluminum
- Wood and branches (under 1m20 and not too thick)
- Rubber
- Cardboard
- Rope
- Leather
- Copper
- Various glues (wood glue, hot glue, contact glue, multi-purpose glue, etc.)
- Flexipaint
- Forex
- Gesso
- Medium/balsa
- Foam
- Expanding foam
- Papier-mâché
- Glass paste
- Fimo clay
- Plexiglas
- Extruded polystyrene
- PVC
- Resin
- Sagex
- Thibra
- Fabric
- Varnish
- Worbla

To benefit from the reduced rate, you must present us with an official proof of your right to a reduced rate (official ID, culture card, AI card, etc.). Please bring a printed copy of your documents when you visit.

An assistant person may enter the convention free of charge to meet needs arising from a disability. Their wristband will allow them to enter the convention as long as they are with you.

If you want to participate in an activity, the presence of an assistant person not registered for the activity will generally not be a problem. They will take part in the activity with you and share your materials. However, some activities have a limited number of available seats, such as incense and tea ceremonies, for example. Please inquire at the reception, and if it turns out you cannot participate, do not forget to unregister!

The convention is accessible to people with reduced mobility in several ways, notably by public transport and by car.

To reach the event from the M1 metro (EPFL stop), please follow the blue path shown on this map. You will need to go down the ramps accessible from both metro exit sides, pass under the tunnel (dotted line), and then take the elevator on the left to exit at level 1.

An additional parking lot, Parking Rivier, is available to facilitate arrival for people with reduced mobility. If you arrive from this parking, follow the blue path on this map and take the elevator to level 1. You have just arrived at the entrance of Japan Impact!

The convention’s baseline noise level is similar to that of a supermarket on a weekend. Notoriously noisy areas are on the ground floor of the CO building (orange zone) and around the Matsuri hall in the CE building (dark blue zone), depending on the concert style.

Ask our staff on-site or at the reception to get earplugs. Some indoor activities may also be noisy or have sudden changes in sound intensity.

The lighting in the rooms complies with the requirements stated in the SN EN 12464-1 standard (illumination, glare limitation, and adequate luminance distribution). Some areas (rooms or hallways) may be darker or have colored or flashing lights.

Some activities may fill the room with strong odors.

If needed, our team remains attentive: you will find our staff at the reception, at the bars, or near emergency exits wearing a yellow vest. Do not hesitate to bring a card explicitly describing how to interact with you when you feel unwell, such as this one. We will do our best in advance to ensure that our staff are aware of their existence and sensitized.

This unsupervised room is designed for young children, offering a moment of creative calm after their scavenger hunt. They can relax by reading a book, doing crafts, or participating in workshops in the early afternoon. You can find the room next to the Rallye booth in the Purple Zone (Shika Room) at Japan Impact.

Need a quiet space to breastfeed or bottle-feed your baby? We recommend using these rooms reserved for you in the Pink zone and near the new food court on level 0. You can also use them to change your little ones' diapers, provided you have everything you need with you. For everyone's benefit, please help keep these rooms clean!

We know how cumbersome it can be to navigate the convention aisles with a stroller. That's why a dedicated stroller parking area is available near the cloakroom, at the entrance to the convention. This way, you can leave your stroller safely while you enjoy your visit.

More informations will be provided later.

Japan Impact is the perfect opportunity to discover new dishes! You'll find most of the food stalls on Piccard Avenue, on level 0 between the red zone of the CM building and the dark blue zone of the CE building. Elevators are located in each of these zones for people with reduced mobility and those with strollers. A post office ATM is also located on this street, if needed. You can sit down and eat in our designated dining areas: one located near the food stalls, one two floors above the food stalls, and one in the CO building.

For your homelunches and snacks, tables are available in our dining areas (described above). Picnics and drinks (except alcohol) brought from outside are allowed. However, glass containers are prohibited. We kindly ask that you only use this area for eating. Rubbish bins have been replaced by Eco Points located nearby in order to recycle waste, including compostable tableware, which goes in the red bins.

We offer a wide range of drinks at bars located throughout the convention: one in the catering area of the CO building (ideal for your picnics and breaks), one in the food court (described above) and one in the CE building. You can also purchase a cup featuring elements from this year's poster. We accept cash, card and Twint payments.

Every year, we consider our options for avoiding disposable plastic tableware. This year, our stalls will provide you with compostable tableware, which can be disposed of in the bright red bins located near our stalls and catering areas.

The cosplay contests, both solo and group, are back this year in partnership with our loyal partners, Z’Hiboo. Once again this year, the contests will highlight the staging, energy, and passion of the participants for their characters.
The performances bring the chosen universe to life on stage and showcase costumes and accessories, whether custom-made or not.
Full details (rules, costume criteria, performance duration, registration procedures, etc.) will be published shortly.
More information here.

The Idol contests, for solo and groups, are back this year!
Whether you're a fan of AKB48, Morning Musume, XG, or K-pop groups like ATEEZ, NewJeans, Stray Kids, or BTS, this is your chance to rock the stage with your crew!
Detailed information on registration, performance duration, and group composition will be published soon.
More information here.

Did you enjoy visiting Japan Impact and want to discover what happens behind the scenes?
Become staff for our next edition on February 14–15, 2026!

The first information sessions will take place on the EPFL campus (and via videoconference):

November 22 – room SG1 at 12:30 PM and 4:00 PM
December 11 – room CO2 at 7:15 PM

More information here.

Staff registrations are now open for Japan Impact 2026.

You can register directly on our registration page:
staff.japan-impact.ch

More information here.