Japan Impact en Suisse : douane, cosplay et double crème – mon expérience d’exposante (Ohka)

Salons / Conventions

Japan Impact Switzerland: Customs, Cosplay and Double Cream – My Exhibitor Experience (Ohka)

Mar 01, 2026

Some weekends begin with a simple checklist: booth, stock, good mood.
Others end with customs paperwork, Excel sheets, and you negotiating with border officers like you're stuck in a side quest from an RPG.
Japan Impact Switzerland was both.
This was my first time exhibiting at Japan Impact, one of the largest cosplay conventions in Switzerland, held at EPFL in Lausanne. And beyond the exhaustion, the customs process, and the logistics, it turned out to be one of the most eye-opening international convention experiences for Cosplay Smart.
If you’re a cosplayer in Switzerland, or a vendor wondering what it’s like to sell at a Swiss cosplay convention, here is my full exhibitor experience — unfiltered, narrative, and honest.

Before Japan Impact: The Swiss Customs Challenge

I naïvely thought Japan Impact would begin when we set up our booth at EPFL.
It didn’t.

It started at the border.
If you’re planning on exhibiting at a convention in Switzerland as a foreign vendor, customs is not optional. The temporary export and temporary import process is mandatory, and for a cosplay shop bringing stock across the Swiss border, that means preparation.

On paper, I knew what to do:
• Temporary export declaration in France
• Temporary import declaration in Switzerland
• Full inventory list
• Estimated stock value
• Customs deposit
• VAT settlement on return
Simple, right?
Not exactly.

Customs doesn’t ask, “What do you sell?”
Customs asks for structured, categorized, valued inventory.
And when you run a cosplay shop with dozens of product references, you can’t just write “cosplay items.”

You have to organize everything properly.
For example, I didn’t need to list 100 different contact lens designs separately. I had to declare them as cosmetic contact lenses for cosplay with an average value.
Still, when we counted everything, we realized we were bringing over 230 pairs of lenses alone.
So I sorted.
Grouped.
Calculated.
Double-checked.
Printed.
Between theory and reality, there’s a gap — and I crossed it in slippers, drinking matcha, slightly sleep-deprived, trying to understand Swiss customs regulations for exhibitors.

Bardonnex Border: The Administrative Boss Level

We arrived at the Bardonnex border crossing between France and Switzerland.

First office.
“Hello, we’re here for a temporary export declaration.”
Response:
“I’m not sure I can sign that. Please go to the commercial service office… over there.”

We crossed the toll area.
Second office.
“Yes, that’s correct… but we’re not the right department. You need the other building.”
At that point, I was living inside the Asterix and Obelix A38 permit scene.

Eventually, we found the correct office.

French side: export declaration stamped.
Smooth.

Swiss side: import form, verification, digital registration.
And honestly? Big respect to Swiss customs. The officer was kind, efficient, and even told us we had done a good job preparing our documents. After nearly pulling an all-nighter, that sentence felt like a +50 morale boost.
Then came the deposit payment.
The card machine didn’t work.
Reset.
Retry.
Nothing.
We lost about twenty minutes before they escorted a small group of us to another building to process the payment.

And that’s when something absurd happened.
I ran into Manon Mergnat.
At customs.
Yes. At the Swiss border office.

An illustrator whose work I love… and I meet her while paying a customs deposit.
If that isn’t peak convention energy before even reaching the convention, I don’t know what is.
Eventually, we paid the deposit, finalized the temporary import, and officially entered Switzerland.
Exhausted.
But proud.

Because crossing that administrative milestone as a vendor selling at a convention in Switzerland felt like leveling up.

Discovering Japan Impact at EPFL in Lausanne

After the border, we still had around 40 minutes of driving before reaching EPFL in Lausanne — the university campus where Japan Impact takes place.

And that was my first surprise.
Japan Impact isn’t held in a gymnasium or a typical exhibition hall.
It happens inside a university.

Classrooms become workshop rooms.
Lecture halls host panels.
Hallways turn into vendor alleys.
There are lockers everywhere — actual student lockers — and yes, you can use them.
Experiencing a cosplay convention in Switzerland inside a working academic campus is both surreal and strangely fitting.

Allées de Japan Impact à l’EPFL, convention cosplay à Lausanne en Suisse

We struggled a bit to find the exhibitor accreditation desk, especially with construction work on site. After walking in circles, we finally found it — at the opposite end of the campus.

I went on what felt like a side quest to collect our exhibitor passes.
That’s when I met Teo from PolyJapan, the association organizing Japan Impact. He’s the one I had communicated with to secure our booth.

Meeting him in person made everything real.

We were officially exhibiting at Japan Impact Switzerland.

Setting Up a Cosplay Shop Booth in Switzerland

Installing a cosplay shop booth at a Swiss convention requires anticipation.

This time, we only had one table. Normally, we have two.

So I had prepared accordingly:
• A vertical shelf
• Small wooden frames
• Display structures to create height
• A curated product selection that would actually fit

Stand de boutique cosplay à Japan Impact 2026 en Suisse avec perruques et lentilles exposées

Because having a lot of products is great.

Displaying them clearly and professionally is better.

Our booth was on a corner, which meant:
• Not blocking our neighbors
• Maintaining proper walking space
• Respecting accessibility

The setup required thought.
But when the booth finally took shape, despite the fatigue, I felt it.
This was going to be good.

We even received our safety validation Friday evening, which meant we wouldn’t need to arrive ridiculously early on Saturday.

Small victories matter.

The Double Cream Mission

Before heading to our Airbnb, I had one priority.
Swiss double cream.
We stopped for groceries.

I bought double cream. And double cream ice cream. It was incredible.

Airbnb was about 20 minutes away. Affordable. Functional.
I crashed in the car so hard I woke up confused when my parents were asking for directions.

I tried watching Gran Turismo before sleeping.
I lasted fifteen minutes.
Lights out.

pot de double creme suisse bien manger en suisse

Saturday at Japan Impact: Doubts, Adjustments and Momentum

We arrived around 8:30 AM.

Final touches:
• Adjusting wigs
• Fixing prices
• Rearranging products

And, as always, I did my hair at the booth while visitors were already entering.
Backstage energy.
At first, it was quiet.
Very quiet.

Our booth was located at the far end of the convention hall. The flow of visitors took time to reach us.
I even received a message from my associate asking if everything was okay.

That small moment of doubt hit.
Did we make the right decision coming to Japan Impact as international vendors?
Would the Swiss cosplay audience reach our booth?

But I’ve learned something about conventions:
Never judge a day by its first hour.
The Swiss cosplay crowd sometimes takes its time.
But it arrives.

Accessibility and Community First

That morning, we were asked to slightly move our table to allow more space for Altaya Cosplay, one of the invited guests who uses a wheelchair.
We adjusted.

Explained the situation to our neighbors.
Created a passage behind our booth.
No complaints.
Just cooperation.

That moment reminded me that a cosplay convention isn’t just about sales performance.
It’s about community.

When the Crowd Finally Arrives

By early afternoon, things shifted.

My brother joined us around 1–2 PM, and suddenly we were four people at the booth.
Family-powered vendor mode activated.

Foot traffic increased.
Conversations lasted longer.
Sales picked up.

We met a member of our Discord community who lives in Switzerland and came specifically to see us.

I also met someone from my Twitch channel in person.

That kind of crossover — online to real life — hits
differently.

We spoke with Cosmos, a newer cosplay association, about
potential partnerships.

And by mid-afternoon, Saturday had fully recovered.

Exploring Japan Impact as an Exhibitor

Around 7 PM, when things slowed down, I finally left the
booth to explore.

Japan Impact is massive.

I timed my walk from the far end of the convention to our
booth.

Eight minutes.

Fast walking.

That gives you an idea of the scale of this Swiss cosplay
convention.

I visited the Swiss Family Cosplay area briefly.

Walked through the artist building accessible via an outdoor corridor.

Met Manon again.

The size, the layout, the diversity of spaces — Japan Impact
feels alive.

Sunday at Japan Impact: Chocolate, Fandom and Sales Rush

Sunday started slower in the morning.

Different guest lineup.

Different energy.

Swiss Cosplay Guests and VIP Chocolate Moments

The Sunday guests included Maoh Cosplay and Cos’Me Sven.

Both incredibly kind.

They even brought us Swiss chocolate from the VIP area.

Praline. Milk chocolate. Absolute highlights.

Moments like that remind you that exhibiting internationally isn’t just transactional.

It’s relational.

When Sunday Outperforms Saturday

And then something unexpected happened.

Sunday outperformed Saturday.

Massively.

We experienced a strong sales rush between roughly 3:30 PM and closing time.

Many visitors had scoped products on Saturday and returned Sunday to buy.

This purchasing behavior reflects something interesting about the Swiss cosplay market: thoughtful decision-making and strong buying power.

For a cosplay shop evaluating whether Japan Impact is worth it for vendors, that’s important data.

A Surprise Warrior Cats Fan Art Moment

During a quiet moment, I passed by an artist booth I had noticed the day before.
Cat illustrations.

I looked closer.
Warrior Cats fan art.
In 2026.
At a Swiss cosplay convention.

I immediately bought:
• A poster
• Two bookmarks
• A small illustration

When I mentioned it back at our booth, Cos’Me Sven turned out to be a fan too.
We both couldn’t believe we found Warrior Cats fan art at Japan Impact.
Sometimes conventions give you unexpected nostalgic wins.

Record Pack-Up and Sesame Ice Cream

At 6 PM, we began packing.
We moved so efficiently that we arrived at our restaurant 45 minutes early.
We had planned two hours for dismantling the booth.
We barely needed one.
Dinner was at an Asian restaurant with buffet options.
Everything was excellent.

Dessert: black sesame ice cream.
If you’ve never tried it — do it.
After dinner, rain turned into light snow.
We drove to a hotel near the border.
Total shutdown.
No more paperwork that night.

Returning Through Swiss Customs: Lessons Learned

Monday morning was about finalizing the temporary import process.
Inventory reconciliation.
VAT calculation.
Stock verification.
It took around two hours.
Back at Bardonnex, the Swiss officer reviewed our documents and told me:
“You did a very thorough declaration. You could have simplified it.”
Good to know.
We recovered our deposit and paid Swiss VAT on what we had sold.
Crossed back into France. Closed the export file.
And yes — I ran into Manon again at customs.
Some running gags write themselves.

What Japan Impact Taught Me About the Swiss Cosplay Market Overall?

Extremely positive experience.
Yes, the customs process for selling at a convention in Switzerland is demanding.
But once understood, it becomes manageable.

Swiss Purchasing Power vs France

There is a noticeable difference between the French and Swiss markets.
At similar attendance levels, we often generate stronger sales performance in Switzerland.
The Swiss cosplay audience demonstrated:
• Purchasing power
• Thoughtful buying behavior
• Strategic return visits
That matters for vendors considering exhibiting internationally.

A Cosplay Convention Inside a University Campus

Hosting a convention at EPFL in Lausanne is unconventional.
But it works.
The organization was strong.
For an event of this scale in Switzerland, it was impressively managed.

The Swiss Cosplay Community

Beyond numbers, what stood out was the community.
Questions.
Discussions.
Advice.
Online friends meeting offline.
That’s why we do this.

Would I Exhibit at Japan Impact Again?

Yes.
Japan Impact Switzerland has positioned itself as a major cosplay convention in Switzerland — not just for visitors, but for vendors.
It wasn’t just a geographical border we crossed.
It was a professional milestone.
As a cosplay shop.
As an entrepreneur.
As me.
If you’re a cosplayer in Switzerland and came to see us — thank you.
And if you’re a vendor wondering whether exhibiting at Japan Impact is worth it?
I hope this Japan Impact exhibitor experience helped.
See you at the next convention.
Or on Discord. 💛