Because of his rebellious nature, after graduating from 6th grade, his parents sent him to be an apprentice with his uncle, who owned the Takagi Scientific Glass Instrument Company in Tokyo.

During the war, he also worked as a glassblower in the research department of the Naval Medical Supply Division, reporting to Lieutenant Commander Yanagida.

His apprenticeship ended on March 10, 1945, when the factory was burned down and his uncle was killed during the Bombing of Tokyo in World War II.

In 1946, Professor Yanagida, who had returned to the Department of Chemistry University of Tokyo, invited him to work as the departmental glassblower, a position he held from 1947 to 1960.

His biggest project was the glass model of the United States Capitol, created for Bicentennial celebrations and still prominently displayed at the Smithsonian Institution.

One of his lifetime highlights was a meeting with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan in 1992, which was attended by President and Mrs. Jon Wefald of Kansas State University, and Ohno's lifelong friend Professor Clifton Meloan and his wife.