Komainu Yosakoi are back this year to introduce you to yosakoi!

Yosakoi is a Japanese dance that combines tradition and festivity, and is suitable for all ages. The colorful coverings make yosakoi one of the most colorful and enjoyable traditional Japanese shows to watch. Equipped with their narukos, a wooden instrument, the dancers produce a harmonious and pleasant clapping sound, providing pleasant entertainment for the ears too.

If you’d like to try your hand at yosakoi, or simply enjoy a show that transports you to a Japanese festival, then join us on Saturday February 17 and Sunday February 18 for a performance by Komainu Yosakoi!

Our partner Nintendo is allowing us to give you the chance to win a Nintendo Switch OLED Model with the Mario vs. Donkey Kong game, which will be released on February 16, for free via a prize draw on Instagram! 😍

To participate, you only need to do the following 🥳 :

1. Like the Instagram post
2. Follow @japan_impact and @nintendoeurope
3. Tag two friends in comments!

Entries close on Sunday, February 11 at 6pm, and we’ll contact the winner the next day via our official account 😎 (watch out for fake accounts!).

Note: Participation in the contest is restricted to Swiss residents, and accounts created exclusively for the contest will not be taken into account.

Good luck 🔥

Begoña is a freelance artist specialising in special make-up effects and creature design, who works in the film and television industry. She is also a cosplayer and goes by the name Shirak. She represented the UK at Japan Expo in Paris during ECG in 2015, portraying Bran Stoker’s Dracula as a solo representative. and has won awards in several national and international competitions.

At Japan Impact, Begoña will present a full panel explaining the intricacies of prosthetics and special make-up effects, accompanied by a live demonstration of prosthetic application. This panel shows the details of industry-standard prosthetics (from their design to the final make-up of the creature, showing the sculpting process, techniques, secrets, etc.), as well as the possibilities and applications of prosthetics in cosplay.

Photo by Riah

🌟 A big thanks to all our incredible sponsors for their invaluable support in holding our Kawaii and Idol contests, as well as for the incredible prizes offered to our participants ! 🌟

We’d also like to remind anyone who’s interested that there are only a few days left before registration closes! You have until February 9, 2024, at 11:59 p.m., to fill in the form on our website, in the “Contests Registrations” section!

For those of you planning to take part in the Idol solo contest, we’re sorry to inform you that all places are now taken. However, don’t hesitate to sign up for our waiting list. Who knows? An opportunity might still present itself! ✨

Don’t miss this chance to shine and share your passion with our juries and the public! We can’t wait to see all your incredible creations and performances. Stay tuned for more exciting updates and announcements! 💖

Attention all budding trainers! 🪴 Poke’mon IRL is back 🦑!

Poke’mon “In Real Life” (IRL) is an event where you can live the lives of your trainer heroes, and go on a hunt for the cosplayed arena champions scattered around the convention. Collect their badges 🪪 and go and challenge the Poke’mon League IRL to become the best trainer! 🧢

Note:

this event requires you to bring your own Nintendo Switch system 🎮 and your own Pokémon Scarlet 🍒 or Violet game🍇.

Japan Impact is fast approaching this month! Wondering how to get to the convention? Don’t panic, we’ve got you covered!

🚉 Public transport option: The easiest and most environmentally-friendly way? Public transport, of course! In partnership with Mobilis, every pre-sale admission ticket includes a “Grand Lausanne” day pass (Zones 11+12). Take advantage of this offer for hassle-free travel by taking the M1 metro to the “EPFL” stop. From there, simply follow our signs and directions to the convention entrance.

🚗 Car option: Prefer to come by car? No problem! There are 5 free EPFL parking lots at your disposal during the weekend. Consult our maps to easily find your way to the main entrance. Please note: access to the convention is via the north passage only, as indicated.

Midnight Blossom is a fashion and accessories store created by Yasuka Mastro, offering products born of an artistic fusion between Japan and the West. Her creations, crafted with fine stones and vintage kimono fabrics, reflect the beauty of the Land of the Rising Sun. 🇯🇵

Kimonos, the emblematic garment of Japan, have a unique cut. Yet they can be differentiated by material, style and color, to be worn on a variety of occasions. Which kimono for which event? Yasuka Mastro, designer of Midnight Blossom and certified dresser, tells you all. ☝🏼

Looking for the best way to get to Japan Impact? Look no further! Opt for public transport, a simple and eco-responsible solution! 🌿

In our quest to reduce our carbon footprint and make your journey to the convention easier, we’re proud to renew our partnership with Mobilis. Thanks to them, every admission ticket for Japan Impact includes a “Grand Lausanne” day pass (Zones 11+12). Yes, you read that right, access to public transport in these zones is included in your ticket for the day!

⚠️ Please note: this offer is exclusively valid for pre-sales. ⚠️

Come and discover Shibari at the “Shibari: flight into the ropes” conference.

Shibari is inspired by ancient Japanese practices, and involves tying up a willing partner with ropes in an aesthetically and creatively way ✨️
The art is descended from the practices of samurai and military personnel who, during the Edo period, used it to immobilize or torture prisoners of war.

You’ll have the opportunity to watch a demonstration during the conference, led by a passionate amateur who has perfected his art over the years by attending training courses and becoming an instructor himself.

Conference forbidden to under 18 years old 🔞

Are you intrigued by the Japanese language and want to find out how it works?

Studio Bon offers a workshop where you can follow an introduction to Japanese and everyday words, while tracing ideograms to discover the art of calligraphy 🖌

In a second workshop, you’ll have the opportunity to learn how to draw Yokai, Japanese mythological creatures, as well as learn how to write their names ✨

Access to Workshops by registration only.