The Japanese government named Shigeru Miyamoto a recipient of the Order of Culture on Oct. 23, 2026, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology announced. The award recognizes individuals who have made “remarkable accomplishments in the development and improvement of Japanese culture,” including in science, technology, academics and the arts.
career and impact
Miyamoto’s career at Nintendo spans half a century. He joined the company in 1977 and went on to create franchises that shaped the industry, including Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda and Pikmin. His work has been credited with influencing generations of designers and helping establish video games as a mainstream cultural medium.
- Miyamoto joined Nintendo in 1977 and describes his tenure as 50 years of work in games.
- His credited creations include Donkey Kong, Super Mario Bros., The Legend of Zelda and Pikmin.
- The Order of Culture is a longstanding national honor first decreed in 1937 and awarded for major cultural achievements.
In remarks reported by Japanese media, Miyamoto said he felt “embarrassed” to receive the honor and emphasized collaborative work. He noted the number of recent anniversaries in gaming and explained his own sense of the timescale of his career.
“Recently, there have been a lot of anniversaries, such as the 40th anniversary of Zelda, and I myself have been introducing myself as having ‘been making games for 45 years.’ However, when I think about it, I joined Nintendo in 1977 and immediately started working on games, so it’s actually been 50 years. It’s easier to count, so I ’ll talk about it as ‘50 years’ this time.”
the award’s history
The Order of Culture traces to a 1937 decree by the prime minister and is presented to people who have advanced Japanese culture in fields such as science and the arts. Previous recipients have included leading figures in literature, science and the arts; Miyamoto is the first game developer named among the awardees, underscoring the office’s recognition of interactive entertainment as a cultural contribution.
Miyamoto also reflected on his career in measured terms, saying he felt fortunate to have worked in a medium that was “barely tangible” when he began and thanking collaborators who helped realize game projects.
The Ministry’s announcement on Oct. 23 places Miyamoto among this year’s honorees for the award administered by the Kobayashi Museum of Art and the national ceremony schedule that accompanies the honor. The ministry’s list and the timing of related formal events are part of Japan’s established cultural awards calendar.
The Order of Culture adds to a long list of public and industry recognitions for Miyamoto, whose design work and leadership helped shape Nintendo’s product strategy and the wider video game industry over multiple console generations.
