The Japanese government selected Nintendo game designer Shigeru Miyamoto to receive the Japan Order of Culture award, making the 73-year-old creator the first person from the video game industry to earn the imperial honor [1]. Officials announced the selection on October 22 during a press conference held at Nintendo headquarters in Kyoto, placing Miyamoto among eight honorees chosen for 2026 under the Media Arts category [4].
How the Japan Order of Culture Award Honors Games
Miyamoto appeared modest before reporters in Kyoto [4]. He felt awkward about the individual spotlight because game production depends on teamwork across creative groups [1]. “I am truly honored to receive such a prestigious award,” Miyamoto said. “As I have often said, these achievements were not the work of one person, but the result of collaboration with many others. I accept this honor on their behalf” [2].
Miyamoto serves as Nintendo’s Representative Director and Executive Fellow, guiding projects in digital media and public parks. Miyamoto explained that his recent duties involve working with partners outside the traditional gaming sector, including theme park designers at Universal Studios and production crews making animated films. Universal Studios Japan opened Super Nintendo World to bring Nintendo games to life. He also worked on The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. Miyamoto said: “Recently, I’ve been privileged to work with people from many different fields, not just games. I’d like to share the joy of this award with everyone” [1].
Japanese state evaluators picked Miyamoto under Media Arts to honor work that turned video games into an accepted cultural medium. Media outlet GameWatch reported that officials reviewed his decades of creative direction at Nintendo before approving the award [4]. The state choice places digital games with fine arts in Japanese cultural policy [2].
Fifty Years at Nintendo
Miyamoto joined Nintendo in 1977 after finishing his studies in industrial design. Nintendo did not make home consoles in 1977 [1]. At the Kyoto press meeting, Miyamoto explained that his game design career now reaches 50 years rather than the 45 years he had often mentioned during recent public interviews. “Fifty years ago, I became involved with games, a medium that was barely tangible at the time, and I’ve been able to work in this field ever since,” Miyamoto said [3]. He said being present at the dawn of the video game business brought him rare creative luck [1].
His big hit arrived with Donkey Kong in 1981, marking the debut of Mario. Players embraced the arcade title in Japan and abroad. Miyamoto followed the success of Donkey Kong by directing and producing foundational titles in The Legend of Zelda and Star Fox series, building control systems that influenced studios worldwide [1]. With The Legend of Zelda nearing its 40th anniversary, Miyamoto credited player support for keeping classic game worlds alive over decades [3].
Nintendo characters now touch daily life in Japan. Mario and Zelda appear on store shelves, train posters, and cafe menus [1]. One visible example is the Starbucks Pikachu latte launch, which brought themed drinks and 41 goods to cafe visitors across Japan. Miyamoto said loyal fans gave Nintendo teams the freedom to test new ideas over five decades [3].
Past Winners of the Imperial Honor
The Japanese government created the Order of Culture in 1937 to honor individuals who make significant contributions to Japan’s art, literature, science, and technology, establishing the medal as the nation’s premier cultural decoration [2]. The Emperor of Japan confers the medal in person during the annual ceremony [4]. Japanese officials approve eight honorees each autumn. The prize celebrates decades of creative dedication rather than single commercial releases [2].
For decades, the honor went to classical artists, scientists, and writers [2]. Previous winners include film director Akira Kurosawa, fashion creator Issey Miyake, and Godzilla composer Akira Ifukube, whose symphonic scores and visual creations shaped post-war Japanese arts on the world stage. Miyamoto now joins that group [1]. The choice shows that video games have earned equal standing with cinema and music in modern Japan [2].
Miyamoto received Japan’s Person of Cultural Merit title in 2019 for his leadership at Nintendo. That title often serves as a stepping stone to the Order of Culture. Five years later, Japanese officials picked Miyamoto for the senior medal [2].
The Ceremony on Culture Day
The formal presentation for the Japan Order of Culture award takes place on November 3, which Japan celebrates as Culture Day, marking the centerpiece of the state’s autumn honors calendar [2]. The Emperor of Japan presents the medal in person to Miyamoto and seven other winners during the ceremony [1]. Culture Day honors peaceful artistic and academic gains throughout Japan [2].
Government announcements confirm that Miyamoto is one of eight honorees selected for 2026 across fields ranging from scientific study to fine arts, literature, and modern media [2]. Miyamoto plans to accept the imperial medal on behalf of his colleagues [3]. “This award is the result of working together with a great number of people, so I will accept it on their behalf,” Miyamoto said [1].
Miyamoto said he felt lucky to build games since the start of the medium. “50 years ago, I became involved in video games, a medium whose form was still very undefined, and I have been fortunate to continue in this line of work ever since,” Miyamoto said. “I feel like it’s precisely because I’ve been here since the dawn of the industry that I’m being honored in this way, and think I have been incredibly lucky in life” [1].
How the Order of Culture Expands to Games
Miyamoto’s selection marks a big step forward for how the Japanese state treats game makers [2]. While film directors and novelists won imperial awards for decades, game designers remained absent from the Order of Culture list until now [1]. GameWatch reported that the award honors Miyamoto’s role in making games an admired art form around the world. The decision brings digital play into the highest circle of state honors [2].
The award follows another state honor given to a gaming pioneer last year. Last November, Dragon Quest creator Yuji Horii received the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, becoming the first game designer to win that imperial medal. Horii spoke to news outlet FNN after getting his medal. “I’ve been making games for a long time, about 40 years now, but it’s not just my own efforts, it’s all thanks to the staff who helped me make it, and the users who have always supported me,” Horii said. Horii added: “I’ve levelled up in many ways, done many things, and all my hard work has paid off” [2].
With Miyamoto winning the Order of Culture, two foundational Japanese game designers have earned imperial honors in back-to-back autumns [2]. Both men started working in the late 1970s and early 1980s, creating play formulas that defined gaming. State honors confirm that games stand with older arts as lasting cultural treasures built through teamwork and creative vision [1].
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- ONLINE NEWS Yoerider. (2026, October 23). Shigeru Miyamoto Becomes The First Video Game Developer To Receive Japan’s Order Of Culture Award. NintendoSoup. [Article Link]
- ONLINE NEWS Amber V. (2026, October 23). Nintendo’s Shigeru Miyamoto becomes first game developer to receive the Order of Culture, Japan’s highest cultural honor. AUTOMATON WEST. [Article Link]
