After embracing Islam, Japanese artist Şule Shinku Shirakawa moved from Tokyo to Istanbul, where she studies at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University’s Department of Traditional Turkish Arts and produces original works combining Japanese aesthetics with Seljuk motifs through micro art.

Shirakawa works alongside Murat Uçar, a lecturer in the department, applying Seljuk geometric patterns and traditional Japanese motifs to objects such as fountain pens using the micro art technique.

Her works bring together the clean lines of Japanese design with the Seljuk tradition’s emphasis on infinite geometric order.

Calling her academic journey in Türkiye a "turning point” in her life, the 27-year-old Shirakawa says she draws inspiration from the patience, elegance and craftsmanship that define traditional Turkish artisanship.

Speaking to an Anadolu Agency (AA) reporter at the studio in Istanbul’s Fatih district where she studies and prepares for an upcoming exhibition, Shirakawa discussed her decision to convert to Islam, her interest in traditional Turkish arts and her artistic process.

After converting, she also began using the name "Şule."

"Two years ago, I found myself feeling empty. I wanted to belong to a religion,” she said. "During that search, I traveled to India, where I became interested in many religions and tried to learn their details. Among them, Islam felt closest to me, so I chose it. My family respected my decision.”

Inspired by Tokyo Mosque

Shirakawa said she was deeply influenced by the Tokyo Mosque and Turkish Culture Center, built with contributions from the Turkish government, and that her visits there sparked her interest in Turkish-Islamic arts and her desire to come to Türkiye.

She first arrived at Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University as an Erasmus exchange student from Tokyo University, where she was studying fine arts.

"I wanted to learn about Türkiye and traditional Turkish arts, so I enrolled at Mimar Sinan University’s Faculty of Fine Arts,” she said. "Once I chose a religion, I felt I needed to learn all its details and then make professional progress in its distinctive artistic tradition. That’s why I committed myself fully. I am learning Turkish and Islamic art here in Türkiye.”

Shirakawa said her exhibition-in-progress will include works reflecting Turkish-Japanese friendship.

"I engrave both Japanese and Seljuk geometric patterns onto fountain pens using micro art,” she said. "I also want to depict mosques. All mosques are beautiful, but I would especially love to portray the Sultanahmet Mosque and Hagia Sophia in my works.”

She said she hopes to hold an exhibition in Istanbul’s Sultanahmet district and would like to live in Istanbul long-term.

"I want to live in an Islamic country,” she said. "Islam is growing in Japan, and many people are converting. I want to work to increase the number of mosques there. We have very few. I am very happy and very proud. I love Islam very much, and I hope to continue on this path in a beautiful way.”

Uçar said Shirakawa took his computer-aided design course after arriving from Tokyo University.

"She noticed similarities between the patterns she wanted to learn and Japanese geometric designs,” he said. "We started combining Seljuk patterns with traditional Japanese geometry, creating shared designs and bringing them to life. This eventually evolved into an exhibition project.”

Uçar said the exhibition will also emphasize Turkish-Japanese friendship.

"Our goal is to create a meaningful story by synthesizing the art of both cultures,” he said. "Şule is receiving miniature painting training and learning motifs and patterns from the Department of Traditional Seljuk Arts. Inspired by my works on artistic clocks, pens and jewelry, she is now trying to tell a new story of her own.”

He added that pens hold particular significance in Japanese culture.

"For the Japanese, pens are very important, almost sacred,” Uçar said. "Şule also has a special mission related to pens. In a world where everything is consumed very quickly, she believes a pen carries great importance, which is why she wants to focus her work on them.”