The Japanese government announced the recipients of the 2026 Order of Culture on October 23, with Miyamoto among eight individuals selected for the prestigious distinction. The 73-year-old Nintendo veteran will receive the award from Emperor Naruhito during a ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on November 3, Japan’s national Culture Day.
Established in 1937, the Order of Culture recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the development of Japanese culture, including achievements in the arts, literature, science, and technology. Until now, no video game developer had received the honor.
For someone whose work helped transform video games from a relatively new form of entertainment into a worldwide cultural phenomenon, it’s a fitting milestone.
Miyamoto Shares the Honor With His Nintendo Colleagues
Despite the significance of the award, Miyamoto was characteristically modest when discussing the recognition during a press conference at Nintendo’s headquarters in Kyoto on October 22.
Rather than focusing on his own accomplishments, he emphasized the countless developers, artists, programmers, and other collaborators who have contributed to Nintendo’s success over the years.
“I am truly honored to receive such a prestigious award,” Miyamoto said, according to a translation published by Automaton. “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.”
Miyamoto also acknowledged how much his work has expanded beyond traditional game development. In recent years, he has helped bring Nintendo’s characters and worlds into theme parks and movie theaters, working with people from industries that would have seemed far removed from video games when he first joined Nintendo.
The award follows another major recognition from the Japanese government. In 2019, Miyamoto was named a Person of Cultural Merit, becoming one of the first figures from the video game industry to receive that distinction.
Seven years later, his selection for the Order of Culture marks another historic first.
From Exploring the Countryside to Creating Hyrule
For The Legend of Zelda fans, Miyamoto’s influence is difficult to overstate.
Long before Hyrule became one of gaming’s most recognizable fantasy worlds, Miyamoto was a young boy growing up in the countryside of Kyoto Prefecture. His childhood adventures exploring forests, hills, and caves would eventually help inspire the sense of discovery that defined the original The Legend of Zelda.
When the game debuted for the Famicom Disk System in Japan in 1986, it offered something quite different from many of its contemporaries. Rather than pushing players along a strictly linear path, it presented a world filled with secrets, hidden passages, dangerous enemies, and mysteries waiting to be uncovered.
Players were encouraged to experiment, explore, and figure things out for themselves.
That philosophy became one of the defining characteristics of the Zelda series, influencing everything from A Link to the Past to Ocarina of Time and, decades later, Breath of the Wild.
Miyamoto’s contributions extended well beyond the original game. He remained a central creative figure throughout the franchise’s development, including serving as a producer on The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, the groundbreaking Nintendo 64 adventure that brought Hyrule into three dimensions in 1998.
While Zelda has always been the product of talented development teams, with figures such as Takashi Tezuka and Eiji Aonuma playing essential roles in shaping its identity, Miyamoto’s early vision helped establish the foundations upon which the series continues to build.
Four decades after Link’s first adventure, that influence remains unmistakable.
Nearly 50 Years of Changing Video Games
Miyamoto joined Nintendo in 1977 after studying industrial design at Kanazawa College of Art. At the time, the company was still finding its footing in the emerging video game business.
His breakthrough came with the 1981 arcade game Donkey Kong, which introduced the character who would eventually become Mario. The success of Super Mario Bros. on the Famicom and Nintendo Entertainment System helped establish Nintendo as a major force in home gaming.
Then came The Legend of Zelda in 1986, followed by decades of influential projects, including Star Fox, Pikmin, and contributions to Nintendo’s innovative approach to game design.
His career has also stretched beyond the console itself.
Miyamoto has been closely involved with Super Nintendo World at Universal theme parks and Nintendo’s growing film business, including The Super Mario Bros. Movie. He is also serving as a producer on the upcoming live-action The Legend of Zelda film.
What began as a career designing games has grown into something far larger, with Nintendo’s characters now reaching audiences through attractions, films, merchandise, and countless other forms of entertainment.
A Historic Recognition for Video Games
Miyamoto’s selection is significant for more than his own remarkable career.
The Order of Culture has traditionally recognized achievements in fields with long-established cultural standing. Its previous recipients include celebrated filmmakers, authors, artists, and scientists.
By selecting a video game creator for the first time, Japan is formally recognizing a medium that has become one of its most influential cultural exports.
It’s a remarkable development for an industry that was still in its infancy when Miyamoto began working at Nintendo nearly 50 years ago.
For Zelda fans, the timing is particularly meaningful. The franchise is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2026, while Miyamoto’s original approach to exploration and discovery continues to influence new generations of game developers.
His creations have entertained millions, but perhaps their greatest achievement is how naturally they’ve become part of people’s lives. Children who first discovered Hyrule on the NES are now sharing those adventures with their own children, and in some cases, grandchildren.
Miyamoto will officially receive the Order of Culture on November 3, just days before his 74th birthday later that month.
From a young designer at Nintendo to one of Japan’s most celebrated cultural figures, it’s been quite a journey for the man who helped introduce the world to Hyrule.
