Japan Is Giving Miyamoto the Order of Culture. He Is 73, and He Is the First From Games

The man who put a plumber in overalls is getting a medal from the Emperor.

Japan’s education and culture ministry named Shigeru Miyamoto, 73, a recipient of the Order of Culture on Friday. The Japan Times called him the first person from video games to receive it. The order dates to 1937 and goes to people in art, literature, science and technology. He is one of eight names this year. Emperor Naruhito hands it over on November 3, Culture Day, in person. Miyamoto already holds the Person of Cultural Merit, from 2019. This is the one above it.

His line at the announcement was the line he always has, and it still fits the room. He said he was honored, that the work was collaboration with many others, and that he accepts the honor on their behalf. Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong. A representative director at Nintendo, standing in Kyoto while the company is in the middle of the Switch 2 years. The machines he started on took cartridges you could lose down the side of a couch.

Seventy-three is the part I keep. The games have been in living rooms since the early eighties. The medal showed up after a career spent walking the credit down the hall. On that part, he has always sounded like he means it.