Miyamoto Order of Culture: A First for Game Designers

With the Miyamoto Order of Culture announcement, gaming has made history. Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of Mario, is the first video game designer to receive Japan's top cultural honor, which the Emperor will present on November 3.

Key facts

• Honor: Japan's Order of Culture
• First: The first video game developer to receive it
• Ceremony: November 3, 2026, Japan's Culture Day
• Presented by: The Emperor of Japan
• Recipients this year: Miyamoto plus seven others
• Miyamoto's age: 73
• Joined Nintendo: 1977

Why is the Miyamoto Order of Culture honor historic?

The Order of Culture is Japan's highest honor for outstanding contributions to culture. It spans the sciences, literature and the arts. As IGN reports, no video game developer had received it before Miyamoto.

Past recipients include film director Akira Kurosawa, fashion designer Issey Miyake and Godzilla composer Akira Ifukube. Seeing Miyamoto join that list is a strong sign that games now sit alongside film and music as part of Japan's cultural story.

As in previous years, the ceremony takes place on November 3, Japan's Culture Day national holiday. The Emperor will present the awards to Miyamoto and the seven other recipients.

What did Miyamoto say about the award?

Speaking to the press on October 23, Miyamoto said he felt "incredibly awkward but truly honored." He stressed that he doesn't make games alone. The award, he said, is the result of working with a great number of people, so he will accept it on their behalf.

He added that he got into games 50 years ago, when the medium was still undefined. He believes he is being honored precisely because he has been there since the dawn of the industry, and called himself incredibly lucky.

Who is Shigeru Miyamoto?

Miyamoto is currently Nintendo's Executive Fellow and Representative Director. He joined the company in 1977 and played a pivotal role in its move into video games. He is best known for creating Mario, who first appeared in 1981's Donkey Kong.

He also played key roles in The Legend of Zelda and Star Fox. In recent years his work has gone beyond games, including the Super Nintendo World areas at Universal Studios and films like The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. He mentioned these projects in his remarks and said he wants to share the joy of the award with everyone.

• Mario: debuted in Donkey Kong (1981)
• The Legend of Zelda: a series Miyamoto helped shape
• Star Fox: another franchise he played a key role in
• Super Nintendo World: theme park areas at Universal Studios
• The Super Mario Galaxy Movie: a film project he highlighted

What does Miyamoto think about generative AI?

At the same press conference, Miyamoto was asked about generative AI in game development. According to VGC's translation, he believes AI won't make human creativity obsolete. Instead, he thinks individual vision will matter even more.

He compared it to the move from typewriters to word processors. As tools improved, a designer's real talent, such as their sense of layout, came to the fore. He sees generative AI as a similar shift, and draws a line between "creating" something and the "labor" involved in making it.

He also flagged a risk. Because the labor can be enjoyable, people may mistake the satisfaction of building something for having made something genuinely good. The more AI takes over those tasks, he argued, the more chance creators have to reflect on what truly matters. Even if AI eventually handled everything, he said, there would always be a role left for people.

Does Nintendo use generative AI?

Nintendo hasn't publicly confirmed whether it uses generative AI in its games. VGC notes that president Shuntaro Furukawa has acknowledged the technology's creative potential while warning about intellectual property risks. Former Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser said its use was being discussed internally. Both have stressed the importance of human creativity.

Related reading

• Super Mario Turns 36: History of Mario and the Games
• Nintendo Switch 2: Rumors, Specs, and Price
• Nintendo Direct June 2023: How to Watch and Game Predictions

FAQ

When will Miyamoto receive the Order of Culture?

The ceremony is on November 3, 2026, Japan's Culture Day. The Emperor of Japan presents the award.

Has a game developer received the Order of Culture before?

No. Miyamoto is the first video game developer to receive it.

What did Miyamoto say about AI?

He said that even if AI takes over the labor, creativity remains human, and individual vision will become more important.

Sources

• IGN: Miyamoto becomes first game designer to be awarded Japan's Order of Culture
• VGC: Shigeru Miyamoto explains why AI won't make human creativity obsolete
• Nintendo (YouTube): The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Direct