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Hitoshi Ōno

b. 1978

Japanese rugby player (born 1978)

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About Hitoshi Ōno

Born 1978. Hitoshi Ōno is a Japanese rugby union player.

is a retired Japanese rugby player. He plays at lock for the Japan national rugby union team. He is nicknamed the "Iron Man".

Ono started playing rugby after converting from baseball at Nihon University where he was studying to become a firefighter. However, he changed careers and joined Toshiba Brave Lupus in 2001, with whom he has gone on to win the Top League four times.

He made his international debut for in 2004 against . He became a regular member of the national team from there onwards and represented his country at both the 2007 and 2011 Rugby World Cup. Since Eddie Jones took over as Japan coach in 2012, he has not missed an international match, and has become the most capped player for Japan of all time.

After the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011, Ono's family dairy farm suffered greatly, and alongside prop Kensuke Hatakeyama who lost his home, he was named honorary captain for the Asian 5 Nations match with the by coach John Kirwan to mark the team's solidarity for the cause.

Ono is one of the 'Frontier Ambassadors' of his hometown Koriyama City.

He retired from professional rugby in 2020

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
Nihon University
Also known as
Hitoshi Ono, Ōno Hitoshi, Ono Hitoshi

People in Hitoshi Ōno's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Hitoshi Ōno's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Hitoshi Ōno?

Japanese rugby player (born 1978)

When was Hitoshi Ōno born?

Hitoshi Ōno was born on 6 May 1978 in Fukushima.

What is Hitoshi Ōno's occupation?

Hitoshi Ōno is a rugby union player.

What nationality is Hitoshi Ōno?

Hitoshi Ōno is Japanese.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Hitoshi Ōno

· Wikidata: Q5872356

· DBpedia: Hitoshi Ono

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Hitoshi Ōno. https://biography.guide/hitoshi-ono/

MLA: "Hitoshi Ōno." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/hitoshi-ono/.

Chicago: "Hitoshi Ōno." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/hitoshi-ono/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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