Ono (斧) is the Japanese word for an "axe" or a "hatchet", and is used to describe various tools of similar structure. As with axes in other cultures, ono are sometimes employed as weapons. The few existing academic references and documented examples of this particular weapon are in connection with the sohei (warrior monks), who also adapt other agricultural tools as weapons. Ono that is specifically designed for military use is of extreme rarity.