MIWA Kyūsetsu XIII

Kyūsetsu Miwa XIII is the thirteenth-generation head of Hagi’s most celebrated ceramics family, renowned for shaping the identity of Hagi-ware since the 17th century. Born Kazuhiko Miwa, the third son of National Living Treasure Kyūsetsu XI, he forged an independent artistic path early on, inspired as a teenager by Peter Voulkos and the American Studio Movement, and later studying at the San Francisco Art Institute. This exposure to the American Studio Movement fueled his drive to push Hagi-ware beyond tradition.

After returning to Japan, he developed bold, sculptural forms that merge Hagi’s iconic white ash glaze with raw, unglazed surfaces dramatically cut with a Japanese sword. Today he continues to expand Hagi’s visual language, integrating architectural sensibility, international influences, and deep respect for nature into his distinctive contemporary ceramics.

In 2019, upon his brother’s retirement, he assumed the historic family title of MIWA Kyūsetsu XIII.