He subsequently played for Western Sydney Wanderers, Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo and Ryukyu before retiring in 2023.

Ono grew up in the Shizuoka Prefecture and began his professional career with Urawa Reds in the J1 League in 1998.

[5] He caught the attention of foreign clubs with his performance at the 1999 World Youth Championship in Nigeria, where he captained the Japanese Under-20 side that reached the final.

[7] His stint at the Rotterdam based club is highly rated and Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder said "Shinji Ono is the toughest opponent I've ever faced".

[8] On 13 January 2006, Ono returned to the J1 League, signing a three-year deal with his former club Urawa Reds.

Ono suffered injuries in the following two years in Bochum, and could only play 34 matches in which he gave four assists for the club.

In an interview he declared that the main reason for his transfer was his wish to reunite with his wife and children, who were still living in Japan.

[14] He made his debut for the Wanderers on 6 October, in a scoreless draw against Central Coast Mariners, in the first game of the season.

[15] Ono scored two stunning goals to help the Wanderers beat Melbourne Victory 2–1 in round 14 on 1 January 2013.

I don't know how I will end my active career, but I hope to continue to give back to the club by sharing my experiences".

In addition, Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo representative director and GM Daikatsu Mikami expressed his intention to prioritize Ono's wishes, saying, "I will let him decide whether he wants to be a coach or join the front desk".

[27] Known as Tensai[28][29] (天才, Japanese for Genius), Ono is one of the biggest stars in Asian football, known for his vision, technique and superb passing.