Ryukisho Miwa ( Kyusetsu XII, born Ryosaku) is the eldest son of Jusetsu Miwa (Kyusetsu XI) and became familiar with Hagi’s distinctive materials and techniques from a young age as he closely observed his father and his uncle Kyuwa (Kyusetsu X), designated a National LivingTreasure for his work on Hagi-ware. Whilst Ryukisho has the greatest possible appreciation of his father and uncle’s role in developing modern Hagi Tea Ware and particularly values its innovation, he departs from Hagi tradition in his own creative work which explores the artistic nature and contemporaneity of pottery-making based on spontaneous personal feeling.

Ever since his exhibition of ceramic objects entitled ‘Hanako's Elegant Life (High Heels)’ in the post-graduate exhibition at Tokyo University of the Arts in 1967, Ryukisho has continued to startle and challenge us with work which sometimes starkly exposes human emotions, or presents a palpable revelation of sublime passion. Precisely because they are figurative, his unadorned visible rendering of profound human emotions and desires makes his viewers all the more acutely aware of the fundamental truths of human existence – the birth and death of the individual.