Ono Clan (a clan which was active from the early seventh century to the middle of the Heian period) (小野氏)
Ono clan was a clan which was active from the early seventh century to the middle of the Heian period. At first the kabane (the hereditary title used in ancient Japan to denote rank and political standing) of the Ono clan was omi (one of kabane); then by the reformed kabane system yakusa no kabane (collective term for eight official titles conferred upon nobles by Emperor Tenmu in 684) the clan's kabane became ason. The ancestor was Ame no Oshitarashihiko no Mikoto, who was Prince of the Emperor Kosho.
The headquarters was a nearby spot of Ono Village, Shiga County, Omi Province (present Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture).. It is thought that Ono-go, Otagi County, Yamashiro Province (present day Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City) was also under the control of the Ono clan; there is the gravestone of ONO no Emishi in Sudo-jinja Shrine in Kamitakano-Saimyojiyama, Sakyo Ward, Kyoto City.
Including ONO no Imoko who became Kenzuishi (a Japanese envoy to Sui Dynasty China), many people from the Ono clan worked as officials who established relations with China such as Kentoshi (a Japanese envoy to Tang Dynasty China); also many people from the Ono clan worked as local officials in such regions as Tohoku and Kyushu regions.
The Yokoyama Party (Inomata Party) which comes at the head of the list of Musashi Shichito (the Seven Parties of Musashi, bands of warriors' active around Musashi Province in the 10th century) named themselves descendant of ONO no Takamura. Yura clan (Yokose clan), a family member of Yokoyama clan (Inomata clan) and who called themselves Nitta clan, also said that Ono was their real name.