Adding to what is surely the most stacked roster of lifetime achievements, Shigeru Miyamoto is set to be awarded the prestigious Order of Culture award next month.
The award, which first began way back in the 1930s, will be given by the Emperor of Japan on the nation’s Culture Day (3rd November), and is awarded to those who have gone above and beyond in their contributions to Japan’s art, literature, tech or science scenes.
In short, it’s a rather big deal. It’s made all the more impressive by the fact that Miyamoto will be the first from the games industry to ever receive the honours.
In a press conference yesterday (shared by Japanese news outlet Denfaminico Gamer), Miyamoto confessed that he was “a little embarrassed” to receive the award, noting that “Games aren’t something you make alone; they’re the result of working together with many people. I accept this award with the feeling that it represents that” (via machine translation). Come on, the modesty of this man!
Having said that, he seemed pleased that the award acknowledges games as a form of culture. “I hope to continue creating things that are always at the heart of the living room,” he said.
It’s difficult to overstate just how important Miyamoto’s work has been in our lives (and the lives of those of you reading, we’d wager), so the prestigious award feels only right. Congratulations, Miyamoto-san!
