Order of Culture

The Template:Nihongo is a Japanese order, established on February 11, 1937. The order has one class only, and may be awarded to men and women for contributions to Japan's art, literature, science, technology, or anything related to culture in general; recipients of the order also receive an annuity for life. The order is conferred by the Emperor of Japan in person on Culture Day (November 3) each year. It is considered equivalent to the highest rank (Grand Cordon) of the Order of the Rising Sun, the Order of the Sacred Treasure, and the Order of the Precious Crown. The only orders that Japanese emperors bestow on recipients by their own hands are the Collar of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum, the Grand Cordon of each order, and the Order of Culture.<ref>Toshio Kurihara. (2011) 勲章 知られざる素顔. Iwanami Shoten. Template:ISBN</ref>

The badge of the order, which is in gold with white enamel, is in the form of a Tachibana orange blossom; the central disc bears three crescent-shaped jades (magatama). The badge is suspended on a gold and enamel wreath of mandarin orange leaves and fruit, which is in turn suspended on a purple ribbon worn around the neck.

System of recognition

File:Kichiemon Nakamura I 1951.jpg

Kabuki actor Nakamura Kichiemon I was awarded the Order of Culture in 1951. He was the first kabuki performer to be accorded this honor.

The Order of Culture and Persons of Cultural Merit function together in honoring contributions to the advancement and development of Japanese culture in a variety of fields such as academia, arts and others.<ref name="mext1">Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Japan): Culture 2000, Part 1, Chapter 3, Section 2.1 Template:Webarchive</ref>

Order of Culture

The Emperor himself presents the honor at the award ceremony, which takes place at the Imperial Palace on the Day of Culture (November 3). Candidates for the Order of Culture are selected from the Persons of Cultural Merit by the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, upon hearing views of all the members of the selection committee for the Persons of Cultural Merit. The Minister then recommends the candidates to the Prime Minister so that they can be decided by the Cabinet.<ref name="mext1"/>

Persons of Cultural Merit

{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} The system for Persons of Cultural Merit was established in 1951 by the Law on Pensions for the Persons of Cultural Merit. Since the Constitution of Japan stipulates that "No privilege shall accompany any award of honor, decoration or any distinction" (Article 14), the government is not allowed to provide pensions or rewards to recipients of the Order of Culture. The purpose is to honor persons of cultural merit (including recipients of the Order of Culture) by providing a special government-sponsored pension (3.5 million yen per year).<ref>Recipients of the Order of Culture are necessarily persons of cultural merit.</ref> Since 1955, the new honorees have been announced on the Day of Culture, the same day as the award ceremony for the Order of Culture.<ref name="mext1"/>

Selected recipients

File:Tasuku Honjo Susumu Nakanishi Ikuta Takagi Shinzo Abe Shunichi Iwasaki and Goichi Oda 20131103.jpg

From left to right: Tasuku Honjo, Susumu Nakanishi, Seikaku Takagi, Prime Minister Shinzō Abe, Shun-ichi Iwasaki, and Ken Takakura

{{#invoke:Hatnote|hatnote}}{{#ifeq:||}} A complete list can be found here.<ref>文化勲章受章者一覧 Template:Webarchive Nifty</ref>

• Akira Ifukube (1914–2006). A composer of classical music and film scores.
• Ryukichi Inada (1874–1950). A physician, a prominent academic, and bacteriologist researcher.<ref>Fukuoka Medical School:</ref>
• Hideo Kobayashi (1902–1983). An author, who established literary criticism as an independent art form in Japan.
• Akira Kurosawa (1910-1998). A world-famous film director and painter.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Hantaro Nagaoka (1865–1950). A physicist and a pioneer of Japanese physics in the early Meiji period.
• Nakamura Kichiemon I (1896–1954). 1st kabuki actor to receive this honor.<ref>中村吉右衛門 (初代) Template:Webarchive</ref>
• Nakamura Utaemon VI (1917–2001). A famous kabuki actor, known for his oyama roles.<ref>Honor awarded 1979 -- Strom, Stephanie. Nakamura Utaemon VI, 84, International Star of Kabuki Template:Webarchive, New York Times 4 April 2001.</ref>
• Kaii Higashiyama (1908–1999). A famous artist and writer, renowned for his Nihonga style paintings.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Kinjiro Okabe (1896–1984). An electrical engineering researcher and professor who developed the split-anode magnetron.
• Jirō Osaragi (1897–1973). A popular writer in Shōwa period.
• Junjiro Takakusu (1866–1945). An academic, an advocate for expanding higher education opportunities, and an internationally known Buddhist scholar.<ref>Honor awarded 1944 -- Junijiro Takakusu Template:Webarchive</ref>
• Kenjiro Takayanagi (1899–1990). A pioneer in the development of television.<ref>Honor awarded 1981 -- "Kenjiro Takayanagi, Electrical Engineer, 91" Template:Webarchive, New York Times, 25 July 1990.</ref>
• Morohashi Tetsuji (1883–1982). An important figure in the world of Japanese studies and Sinology.<ref>Honor awarded 1965 -- Sanjo City website Template:Webarchive: Morohashi Tetsuji Museum Template:Webarchive</ref>
• Susumu Tonegawa (born 1939). A scientist who won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1987.<ref>Frängsmyr, Tore. (1993). Nobel Lectures in Physiology or Medicine, 1981-1990, p. 380.</ref>
• Eiji Yoshikawa (1892–1962). A historical novelist.<ref>Honor awarded in 1960 -- "Yoshikawa Eiji Template:Webarchive, in Encyclopædia Britannica. (2006).</ref>
• Yasunari Kawabata (1899–1972). A novelist who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1968.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

1990s

1992

• Masaru Ibuka (1908–1997). Co-founder, President and Chairman of Sony Corporation.<ref name="IbukaDeathNews">"Sony Global-Press Release-Masaru Ibuka 1908-1997" Template:Webarchive, Sony Press Release Archive, Retrieved November 11, 2014.</ref>

1994

• Takashi Asahina (1908–2001). Orchestral conductor.<ref name="LATIMES">"Takashi Asahina, 93; Musical Director of Orchestra in Japan", Los Angeles Times, 31 December 2001.</ref>
• Tadao Umesao (1920–2010). Ethnologist.<ref name="NEC">NEC (2 October 2002). "Brief Summary of Recipients' Careers" Template:Webarchive. Press release. Retrieved 18 April 2010.</ref>
• Hideo Shima (1901–1998). Railway engineer.

1995

• Shigemitsu Dandō (1913–2012). Criminologist.<ref name="rock">Rockefeller University (October 26, 1995). "Japanese Government Honors Rockefeller University Professor for Cancer Research" Template:Webarchive. Press release. Retrieved 18 April 2010.</ref>
• Shūsaku Endō (1923–1996). Writer.<ref name="rock"/>

1996

• Hanae Mori (1926–2022). Fashion designer.<ref name="HanaeMori">"Hanae Mori" Template:Webarchive, Japan Times Online, 23 October 2007.</ref>
• Rizō Takeuchi (1907–1997). Historian of Japan.

1997

• Masatoshi Koshiba (1926–2020). Nobel Prize-winning physicist.<ref name="JFNLPDF2">"Order of Culture Awarded", Japan Foundation Newsletter, Vol. XXV, No. 6, March, 1998, page 6. (PDF) Template:Webarchive</ref>
• Hirofumi Uzawa (1928–2014). Economist.<ref name="JFNLPDF2"/>

1998

• Ikuo Hirayama (1930–2009). Nihonga artist.<ref name="JFNLPDF">"Order of Culture", Japan Foundation Newsletter, Vol. XXVI, No. 4, February, 1999, page 7. (PDF) Template:Webarchive</ref>
• Tadamitsu Kishimoto (born 1939). Immunologist.<ref name="JFNLPDF"/>

1999

• Hiroyuki Agawa (1920–2015). Writer.<ref name="PM">"Prime Minister Attends Order of Culture Award Ceremony" Template:Webarchive, Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet (official website), November 3, 1999.</ref>
• Fuku Akino (1908–2001). Nihonga artist.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Takeshi Umehara (1925–2019). Scholar of Japanese cultural studies.<ref name="PM"/>

2000s

2000

• Ryōji Noyori (born 1938). Nobel Prize-winning chemist.<ref name="JTO2000">"Nobel chemist to get Order of Culture" Template:Webarchive, Japan Times Online, 25 October 2000.</ref>
• Hideki Shirakawa (born 1936). Nobel Prize-winning chemist.<ref name="JTO2000"/>
• Isuzu Yamada (1917–2012). Actress.<ref name="JTO2000"/>

2001

• Chie Nakane (1926–2021). Social anthropologist.<ref name="JTO2001">"Five pioneers to receive Order of Culture awards" Template:Webarchive, Japan Times Online, October 31, 2001.</ref>
• Toshio Yodoi (1911–2005). Sculptor.<ref name="JTO2001"/>

2002

• Kyōhei Fujita (1921–2004). Glass artist.<ref name="JTO2002">"Emperor honors six in culture, science" Template:Webarchive, Japan Times Online, November 4, 2002.</ref>
• Kaneto Shindō. Film director.<ref name="JTO2002"/>
• Kōichi Tanaka. Nobel Prize-winning scientist.<ref name="JTO2002"/>

2003

• Kazuhiko Nishijima (1926–2009). Physicist.<ref name="JTO2003">"Ogata, Ooka and others to receive Order of Culture" Template:Webarchive, Japan Times Online, October 29, 2003.</ref>
• Sadako Ogata. Political scientist and diplomat.<ref name="JTO2003"/>
• Makoto Ōoka. Poet and literary critic.<ref name="JTO2003"/>

2004

• Yōji Totsuka (1942–2008). Physicist.<ref name="FJ">"Seal engraver, kabuki actor among honored cultural contributors" Template:Webarchive, Forum Japon, October 29, 2004.</ref>
• Nakamura Jakuemon, Kabuki actor.
• Toan Kobayashi, Seal carver.
• Shizuka Shirakawa, Scholar of Chinese-language literature.
• Horin Fukuoji, Nihonga painter.

2005

• Mitsuko Mori. Actress.<ref name="JTO2005">"Five honored with Order of Culture" Template:Webarchive, Japan Times Online, November 4, 2005.</ref>
• Makoto Saitō (1921–2008). Political scientist, specializing in American diplomatic and political history.<ref name="JTO2005"/>
• Ryuzan Aoki, Ceramic artist.
• Toshio Sawada, Civil engineer.
• Shigeaki Hinohara, Doctor.

2006

• Yoshiaki Arata. A pioneer of nuclear fusion research.<ref>Arata receives award from Emperor of Japan Template:Webarchive on ISCMNS</ref>
• Jakuchō Setouchi. Writer/Buddhist nun.<ref name="JTWO2006">"Writing nun gets culture award" Template:Webarchive, Japan Times Weekly Online, November 11, 2006.</ref>
• Hidekazu Yoshida. Music critic.<ref name="JTWO2006"/>
• Chusaku Oyama, Nihonga painter.
• Miyohei Shinohara, Economist.

2007

• Akira Mikazuki. Former justice minister and professor emeritus.<ref name=jpntms>Template:Cite news</ref>
• Shinya Nakamura. Sculptor.<ref name="JTO2007">"Kyogen actor, four others accept top culture awards" Template:Webarchive, Japan Times Online, November 4, 2007.</ref>
• Kōji Nakanishi. Organic chemist.<ref name="JTO2007"/>
• Tokindo Okada, Developmental biologist.
• Shigeyama Sensaku, Kyogen performer.

2008

• Hironoshin Furuhashi (1928–2009). Sportsman and sports bureaucrat.<ref name="JapanToday2008">"Gov't decorates 3 Nobel winners, Seiji Ozawa, Donald Keene, 3 others", Japan Today, October 29, 2008.</ref>
• Kiyoshi Itō. A mathematician whose work is now called Itō calculus.<ref name=yomiuri2008>Honor awarded 2008 -- "Donald Keene, 7 others win Order of Culture," Yomiuri Shimbun. October 29, 2008.</ref>
• Donald Keene. A Japanologist, scholar, teacher, writer, translator and interpreter of Japanese literature and culture.<ref name=yomiuri2008/>
• Makoto Kobayashi. A physicist who was awarded the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physics.<ref name=yomiuri2008/>
• Toshihide Masukawa. A theoretical physicist who was awarded the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physics.<ref name=yomiuri2008/>
• Seiji Ozawa. A conductor, particularly noted for his interpretations of large-scale late Romantic works.<ref name=yomiuri2008/>
• Osamu Shimomura. An organic chemist and marine biologist who was awarded the 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.<ref name=yomiuri2008/>
• Seiko Tanabe. Author.<ref name="JapanToday2008"/>

2009

• Sumio Iijima. Physicist.<ref name="SK">"Beicho, Tojuro among 5 recipients of year's top culture award" Template:Webarchive, Seek Japan, October 27, 2009.</ref>
• Tōjūrō Sakata IV. Kabuki actor.<ref name="SK"/>
• Katsura Beicho, Rakugo performer.
• Akira Hayami, Economist, Historian.
• Yorio Hinuma, Virologist.

2010s

2010

• Tadao Ando. Architect.<ref name="JTO2010">"Nobelists Suzuki, Negishi get Order of Culture," Template:Webarchive Japan Times. October 27, 2010, retrieved 2011-04-20.</ref>
• Akito Arima. Nuclear physicist.<ref name="JTO2010"/>
• Issei Miyake. Fashion designer.<ref name="JTO2010"/>
• Eiichi Negishi. Chemistry Nobel Prize laureate.<ref name="JTO2010"/>
• Yukio Ninagawa. Stage director.<ref name="JTO2010"/>
• Akira Suzuki. Chemistry Nobel Prize laureate.<ref name="JTO2010"/>
• Haruko Wakita. Medieval historian.<ref name="JTO2010"/>

2011

• Isamu Akasaki, Engineer.
• Ohi Chozaemon, potter.
• Saiichi Maruya, Author.
• Taichiro Mitani, Political and history scholar.
• Mitsuhiro Yanagida, Molecular biologist.

2012

• Shigeru Oda, Jurist, a judge on the International Court of Justice from 1976 to 2003.
• Yoji Yamada, Film Director.
• Shinya Yamanaka, Physiology Nobel Prize laureate, biologist.
• Shuji Takashina, art critic.
• Toshio Matsuo, nihonga painter.
• Yashuyuki Yamada, agronomist.

2013

• Ken Takakura, noted Japanese actor.
• Susumu Nakanishi, noted scholar of Japanese literature.
• Shunichi Iwasaki, noted scholar of electrical engineering.
• Seikaku Takagi, noted Japanese calligrapher.
• Tasuku Honjo, noted immunologist

2014

• Hiroshi Amano, Physics Nobel Prize laureate in 2014.
• Shuji Nakamura, Physics Nobel Prize laureate in 2014.
• Takemoto Sumitayu, narrator of Japanese bunraku, also known as a “ningyo joruri” (puppet theater).
• Taeko Kōno, writer and critic and is considered one of the most important contemporary writers of modern Japanese literature.
• Toyoki Kunitake, researcher in molecular architecture.
• Takashi Negishi, economist.
• Gyoji Nomiyama, Western-style painter.

2020s

2021

• Syukuro Manabe, Nobel Prize winning climatologist.
• Shigeo Nagashima, noted former Japanese baseball player.
• Onoe Kikugoro VII, Kabuki actor.
• Tsuneko Okazaki, Molecular biology researcher.
• Hirohiko Okano, Japanese tanka poet.
• Junzo Kawada, Anthropologist.
• Koji Kinutani, Painter.
• Shigefumi Mori, Mathematician.
• Asami Maki, Ballet dancer.

2022

• Atsushi Uemura, nihonga painter.
• Hiroyuki Sakaki, electronic engineer.
• Teruhiko Beppu, microbiologist.
• Matsumoto Hakuō II, kabuki player.
• Yamase Shōin III, koto player.
• Tadao Yoshikawa, Oriental historian.

2023

• Nomura Mansaku II, kyogen player.
• Keidō Ishige, calligrapher.
• Katsuhito Iwai, economist.
• Saburō Kawabuchi, football player, president of the Japan Football Association
• Nanami Shiono, novelist.
• Tadatsugu Taniguchi, immunologist.
• Kōhei Tamao, organic chemist.

2024

• Kenjirō Egashira, jurist.
• Mutsuo Takahashi, poet.
• Toshio Tabuchi, nihonga painter.
• Tetsuya Chiba, manga artist.
• Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, cellist.
• Junko Nakanishi, environmental engineer.
• Nobutaka Hirokawa, cell biologist.

2025

• Sadaharu Oh, former baseball player, manager, and current President of baseball operations for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks.
• Susumu Kitagawa, Kyoto University professor, winner of the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
• Junko Koshino, fashion designer.
• Yasunaru Kawashima, professor emeritus of cardiovascular surgery at Osaka University. <ref>https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/16134257</ref>
• Kataoka Nizaemon XV
• Kazuhiko Komatsu
• Nobuo Tsuji
• Hisashi Yamamoto

Known to have declined the honor

• Kenzaburō Ōe, 1994 Nobel laureate and critic of the Japanese Imperial system.<ref name="The Saturday Profile">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Haruko Sugimura, actress.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

See also

• Order of Merit (UK)
• Pour le Mérite (Germany; recognised by the state, though not a state order)
• Ordre des Palmes Académiques (France)
• Order of Saint Catherine the Great Martyr (Russia)
• Order of Honour (Russia)
• Civil Order of Alfonso X, the Wise (Spain)
• Italian Order of Merit for Culture and Art
• Order of Cultural Merit (Korea)
• Order of the Direkgunabhorn (Thailand)
• Austrian Decoration for Science and Art

References

• Peterson, James W., Barry C. Weaver and Michael A. Quigley. (2001). Orders and Medals of Japan and Associated States. San Ramon, California: Orders and Medals Society of America. Template:ISBN

External links

• Japan, Cabinet Office: Decorations and Medals
  • Decoration Bureau: Order of Culture
• Japan Mint: Production Process