Nintendo Creator Shigeru Miyamoto to Receive Japan’s Order of Culture

Shigeru Miyamoto Becomes First Gaming Figure Awarded Japan Order of Culture

Nintendo Co. executive fellow Shigeru Miyamoto will receive Japan’s fiscal 2026 Order of Culture, marking the first time the prestigious government honor has been awarded to someone from the video game industry. Miyamoto joins seven other recipients selected for the distinction, which recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to Japanese art, science, and culture.

The Japanese government announced the honors on Friday, placing the creator of Mario alongside this year’s Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner Kenso Soai and lighting designer Motoko Ishii. The distinction follows Miyamoto’s designation as a Person of Cultural Merit in 2019, an earlier milestone where he similarly broke ground as the first video game developer to earn that recognition.

Imperial Presentation Scheduled for November 3 in Tokyo

The Emperor will present the Order of Culture to Miyamoto and fellow honorees at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on November 3, coinciding with Culture Day. The ceremony marks the formal conferral of the nation’s cultural distinction.

A separate ceremony honoring twenty-one individuals selected as Persons of Cultural Merit—including jazz saxophonist Sadao Watanabe and animation film director Rintaro—will take place at a Tokyo hotel on November 4. Rintaro, whose real name is Shigeyuki Hayashi, is recognized for films including Galaxy Express 999.

Decades of Game Design Shaping Global Popular Culture

Miyamoto joined Nintendo in 1977 and subsequently created some of the company’s most recognisable franchises, including Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, and Donkey Kong. His work helped establish video games as a major part of Japanese popular culture.

In his current role as Nintendo’s Representative Director and Executive Fellow, Miyamoto focuses on creative direction and the wider use of its intellectual properties. Recent work extends beyond games, including involvement with Super Nintendo World and Illumination’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie.

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