Ono (斧), Antique Logger's Axe, early Meiji period, Japan.

Antique axe head or Ono from Japan, crafted using traditional Japanese smithing techniques similar to those used in sword making.

The lines on the axe head are meant to show respect for nature. The three lines, called "Miki," stand for sake. The Miki served as a substitute for real sake in votive offerings. The four lines, called "Yoki," represent the four elements: earth, water, fire, and air. Additionally, the lines have a talismanic value, protecting the loggers from evil spirits while they worked deep in the mountains. Old Japanese loggers would place their axe against a tree and pray to its spirit before cutting it down, out of respect for nature and to perform their work safely and reverently.