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Tokyo Settlers: The Lefeuvres

By on February 1, 2009

Where is your family originally from and what brought you to Japan?

We (Nicolas, my husband, Oscar & Eliott, my sons and myself, Bérengère) are from France. We moved to Singapore right after finishing our degrees and lived there for 7 years until Nicolas was transferred to Tokyo in April 2008.

Tell us the things that surprised you when you came here?

The kindness and the courtesy of the people is something that is hard to match. I was surprised by the calmness in Tokyo, the amazing Japanese culture, there are so many things to discover. Actually, Japan, Japanese people and Tokyo surprise me every day, and I spend a lot of time with my camera and video camera capturing Japan’s magic.

How are your children adapting to the new school environment?

Oscar is 5 years old and Eliott is 2 years old. They attended a local school in Singapore (an English and Chinese preparatory school) and now they are at the Lycée franco-japonais. The contrast between the system of education and the environment is huge. Nevertheless, the boys adapted easily and they enjoy their new school.

What is the best part of living here?

Our quality of life here in Tokyo.The security for our children and ourselves, the  wonderful culture to discover with our children, the personal enrichment, the weather (!) and the skiing !

What’s your family’s favorite restaurant?   

We love:

– BEIGE (Chanel Tower Ginza) the restaurant of Alain Ducasse, with his remarkable chef, Jerome Lacressoniere.

– MADOY Teppaniaki restaurant in Kagurazaka.

– LE BRETAGNE (Omotesando & Kagurazaka) for my sweet “Breton” husband. Here you can eat the authentic galettes and crêpes from Brittany. The children love it !

What is it you like cooking for the family?

I love to cook French food and Thai food and I’ve been cooking more fish since living in Japan. I take Japanese cooking classes once a month and it’s fun to discover all the amazing Japanese products that I would never have dreamt of buying before.

What does your family like to do on weekends?

We like to visit new exhibitions and museums with the boys, to open their minds to the culture and the creativity of Japan. We often explore Tokyo on foot or spend the day out of Tokyo on a Sunday (Kamakura, Hakone, Kawagoe etc.)  We also like the parks (Shinjuku Gyoen, Yoyogi Gyoen) and the ‘Edo Tokyo Open Air Museum’. Lots of fun for the children !

When you’re not involved with family matters, how do you spend your time?

Being a designer, I decided to create my own business here in Tokyo, Memento Semper photo & video montage. Clients give me their favourite photos and videos and I create a digital montage on DVD. Whether it be for a special occasions such as a wedding, a farewell party (with all best memories your friend had in Japan) or simply to share memories with your family on the other side of the world. After a free consultation to exchange ideas and to ensure their satisfaction, I put together the montage within 2 to 3 weeks. It’s a lovely way to share memories and make my time in Tokyo even more fulfilling.

What is your family motto? 

“HAPPINESS IS MADE OF SIMPLE THINGS.”

To find out more about MEMENTO SEMPER

please contact berengere.lefeuvre@mac.com

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