In the world of tea, certain inherited potters' names stand out as shining stars and their works are seen almost as brand-name goods. Just as shoppers hanker for a Gucci bag, a tea devotee covets certain chawan (tea bowls), say, from the Kaneshige kiln in Bizen. Possessing one of these is a status symbol, seeming to confer instant credibility on its owner as one who "understands" tea.

You may have heard the old adage of the hierarchical tea world -- "Raku first, Hagi second, Karatsu third" -- ranking the most esteemed styles of chawan. For Raku, the name that reigns supreme is Kichizaemon Raku (now in the 15th generation); in Hagi it's Kyusetsu Miwa; and in Karatsu it's Taroemon Nakazato (now in the 14th generation).

The 12th-generation Kyusetsu assumed his title this year and offered up some very unorthodox "Hagi" chawan at recent exhibitions in Osaka, Kyoto, and Tokyo. I place Hagi in apostrophes, as I don't think his chawan qualifies for the name. Lamentably, Kyusetsu Miwa XII has broken the noble traditions of his line.