Ono is a city northwest of Kobe. As a commuter town to Kobe and Himeji, the city has been developed into a residential area since the 1970s. The abacus was introduced 450 years ago, and settled down in Ono City after many twists and turns. It is a traditional craft boasting a 70% share of the national market. In the age of calculators and computers, the abacus is marketed as an educational tool that boosts development of the right brain, honing memorization and information processing skills.
