Order of Culture

The Order of Culture (文化勲章, bunka kunshō) 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 or culture; 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.

The badge of the order, which is in gold with white enamel, is in the form of an mandarin 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.

The order ranks between the Order of the Sacred Treasures, First Class and the Order of the Rising Sun, Double Rays (second class).

[edit] System of recognition

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.^[1]

[edit] 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 3rd). Candidates for the Order of Culture are selected from the Persons of Cultural Merit by the Minister for Education, Science, Sports and Culture 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.^[1]

[edit] Persons of Cultural Merit

The system for Persons of Cultural Merit was established in 1951 by the Law on Pensions for the Persons of Cultural Merit. The purpose is to honor persons of cultural merit by providing a special government-sponsored pension. 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.^[1]

[edit] Selected recipients

This is an incomplete list, which may never be able to satisfy certain standards for completion. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced additions.

• Yoshiaki Arata. A pioneer of nuclear fusion research. ^[2]
• Akira Ifukube (1914–2006). A composer of classical music and film scores.
• Ryukichi Inada (1874-1950). A physician, a prominent academic, and bacteriologist researcher.^[3]
• Kiyoshi Ito. A mathematician whose work is now called Itō calculus.^[4]>
• Donald Keene. A Japanologist, scholar, teacher, writer, translator and interpreter of Japanese literature and culture. ^[4]
• Hideo Kobayashi (1902-1983). An author, who established literary criticism as an independent art form in Japan.
• Makoto Kobayashi. A physicist who was awarded the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physics. ^[4]
• Toshihide Masukawa. A theoretical physicist who was awarded the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physics. ^[4]
• Hantaro Nagaoka (1865-1950). A physicist and a pioneer of Japanese physics in the early Meiji period.
• Nakamura Utaemon VI (1917-2001). A famous kabuki actor, known for his oyama roles. ^[5]
• Jirō Osaragi (1897-1973). A popular writer in Showa period.
• Seiji Ozawa. A conductor, particularly noted for his interpretations of large-scale late Romantic works.^[4]
• Osamu Shimomura. An organic chemist and marine biologist who was awarded the 2008 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. ^[4]
• Junjiro Takakusu (1866-1945). An academic, an advocate for expanding higher education opportunities, and an internationally known Buddhist scholar. ^[6]
• Kenjiro Takayanagi (1899-1990). A pioneer in the development of television. ^[7]
• Morohashi Tetsuji (1883-1982). An important figure in the world of Japanese studies and Sinology. ^[8]
• Susumu Tonegawa (1984). A scientist who won the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine in 1987. ^[9]
• Eiji Yoshikawa (1892-1962). A historical novelist. ^[10]
• Kenzaburo Oe, 1994 Nobel laureate and critic of the Japan's Imperial system, is the only person to have refused to accept an award of the Order of Culture.^[11]

[edit] Notes

[edit] 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. 10-ISBN 1-890-97409-9; 13-ISBN 978-1-890-97409-1

[edit] External links

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