Miyashiro was known for his contributions to
metamorphic and
igneous petrology. He also made contributions to the study of tectonics and meteorites. In the 1960s he introduced the concept of
paired metamorphic belts. In 1973 Miyashiro challenged the common conceptions of
ophiolites and proposed an
island arc origin for the famous
Troodos Ophiolite in
Cyprus. This was done arguing that numerous lavas and dykes in the ophiolite had
calc-alkaline chemistries. ==Personal life and death==