Shigeru Miyamoto Selected for Japan’s Order of Culture

Jiji Press reports that Shigeru Miyamoto has been selected to receive Japan’s fiscal 2026 Order of Culture. The Nintendo creator is one of eight announced recipients, with the formal presentation scheduled for November 3, 2026.

The ceremony has not yet taken place. According to Jiji Press, the Emperor is scheduled to present the honor at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. The report also describes Miyamoto as the first person from the video-game industry to receive it.

That reported first gives the announcement significance beyond a conventional games-industry lifetime-achievement award. A reference document from Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology defines the Order of Culture as recognition for exceptionally outstanding achievements in the development of culture.

What was announced about Miyamoto

As of October 23, Miyamoto has been announced as a fiscal 2026 recipient of the Order of Culture. He has not yet been formally presented with the honor; the Imperial Palace ceremony remains scheduled for November 3.

The timing matters because an announced selection can be mistaken for a completed presentation. The current evidence supports describing Miyamoto as selected to receive the Order of Culture, rather than saying that the medal has already been conferred at the scheduled ceremony.

Why the Order of Culture selection matters

Miyamoto’s association with several of Nintendo’s most enduring series helps explain the broader cultural importance of the selection. In an official developer interview, Nintendo identifies him as the creator of the Super Mario, Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda and Pikmin series.

The distinction is not based merely on an award created by Nintendo or the games business. Miyamoto is being recognized through a Japanese state honor whose stated scope is exceptional achievement in cultural development. Jiji Press’s description of him as the first recipient from the video-game industry therefore places the medium within that wider cultural framework.

Miyamoto discussed the recognition at a press conference held at Nintendo’s Kyoto headquarters on October 22, the day before the public announcement, according to Denfaminico Gamer’s on-site reporting. He described accepting it on behalf of the many people involved in making games:

ゲームというのはひとりで作っているものではなく、大勢の人たちと一緒に作ってきた結果。それを代表するという気持ちで受ける

“Games are not made by one person; they are the result of work done together with many people. I will accept it with the feeling that I am representing them.” This is a translation of the Japanese quotation published by Denfaminico Gamer, not an official English transcript from Nintendo.

Denfaminico Gamer also reported Miyamoto’s observation that games becoming culture meant games had become an ordinary part of life. His comments framed the recognition as both collective and connected to the medium’s broader acceptance.

Miyamoto’s role at Nintendo

Miyamoto remains Representative Director and Fellow at Nintendo, according to the company’s official corporate officers page. The Order of Culture announcement recognizes his body of work through a national cultural honor; it is separate from his current corporate position.

The practical distinction is straightforward: Miyamoto has been selected as a recipient and is reported by Jiji Press to be the first person from the video-game industry chosen for the honor. The presentation itself is scheduled for November 3, 2026.

For wider company context, TheDashDouble has also covered Nintendo’s changing generation of creative leaders.