Japanese photographer Sachiko Shibusawa feels Türkiye has been her "second home" since 1981, expressing admiration for the country.

Inspired by renowned Turkish poet Nazım Hikmet, Shibusawa, who hails from Tokyo, launched a photography exhibition called "Human Landscapes from Istanbul" at Yunus Emre Institute's (YEE) Tokyo Turkish Cultural Center last week.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA), Shibusawa said that she first became acquainted with Türkiye, her "second home," while her family was settled in Greece's Thessaloniki.

She came to Istanbul by train from Thessaloniki in 1981, and she fell in love with the city.

The Japanese artist took many photos capturing daily life in Türkiye such as a circumcision ceremony, a Turkish soldier in camouflage, a prayer bead seller and backgammon players. Shibusawa also penned books on Istanbul and Türkiye. She captured the images in an era when photography slowly turned digital.

Türkiye’s tolerance for migrants from the former Soviet Union was admirable, she said. When the Soviet Union collapsed, there was an influx of people to Türkiye and Russians were on the streets doing the "suitcase trade."

"They were not professional sellers. Russian citizens trying to earn their bread and make a living."

After the Marmara earthquake in 1999, Shibusawa collected money with her friends and distributed aid to the earthquake victims.

With 40 years of travel experience, Shibusawa described Turkish people as "living life with pleasure, cheerful, hospitable." "Three uncles who sit on the side of the road and eat watermelon immediately invite you to sit down with them and say ‘enjoy your meal.’ This happens every day," Shibusawa shared.

She also traveled to the Turkish Republic of Cyprus (TRNC) where she welled understood the political situation on the island.

She also visited the Greek-administered side of the island.