A collection of photographs titled "intimacy" that portrays the daily life of a young gay photographer and his partner has won this year's prestigious Kimura Ihei Award.

"I hope my winning the prize will help encourage young (gay) people" and help others envisage the lives of gay people in Japan, said 37-year-old Eiki Mori.

As a young boy in elementary school, Mori realized he was different from the people around him and felt guilty about his sexual orientation. He had no one to talk to about what he was going through. "I was lonely," he said.