Nihhon Kaigun: Protected Cruiser (1883) Commissioned 1894-1912 IJN Izumi (和泉) was purchased in 1894 as the Sino-Japanese war just broke up, to Chile, and through a murky transfer using Ecuador as a middleman. This was the former Chilean cruiser Esmeralda already well active for ten years in the Chilean Navy but also as the world’s … Read more
Imperial Japanese Navy Protected Cruisers: IJN Niitaka, Tsushima 1904-1936 Called the Tsushima class in some publications but today more generally the Niitaka class, these two protected cruisers were built at Yokosuka and Kure between 1901 and 1904, one named after a sacred mountain, and the second after the strait, which later became the famous battle … Read more
Imperial Japanese Navy: IJN Tosa, Kaga, launched 1921, one completed 1922, converted as CV. In the first world war, the Imperial Japanese Navy took part in limited operations with the entente powers, notably in the Mediterranean, but its fleet of battleships saw little action. However the naval staff had grand ambitions for the Japanese stance … Read more
Nihhon Kaigun (1900-1941): Armoured Cruiser (Sōkō jun’yōkan) Azuma (吾妻 or Adzuma) was an Imperial Japanese Navy armored cruiser ordered from France in 1897, as Japan lacked the industrial capacity matching her naval expansion plan after the Sino-Japanese war and in preparation for future conflicts in the region, notably against a rearming Imperial Russia. She thus … Read more
Nihhon Kaigun (1900-1922): Armoured Cruiser (Sōkō jun’yōkan) Yakumo (“Eight Clouds”) was an armored cruiser built for the Imperial Japanese Navy in 1897-1900 in Germany due to limitations and capacity of Japanese naval yards at the time in preparation of a possible war with Russia. Another was ordered from France following four from Britain. Yakumo took … Read more
Destroyers built 1919-23, Minekaze, Okikaze, Shimakaze, Nadakaze, Tachikaze, Hokaze, Nokaze, Namikaze, Numakaze, Sawakaze, Yakaze, Hakaze, Shiokaze, Akikaze, Yukaze. The Minekaze class (Minekazegata kuchikukan) were fifteen 1st-class destroyers of the Imperial Japanese Navy built for the 8-4 Fleet Program FY1917–1920 as a complement to the 2nd class Momi we just saw. Laid down in 1918 they … Read more
Japan (1892-1930) suma, Akashi The two Suma-class cruisers (Suma, Akashi) were protected cruisers of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) which took part in the boxer rebellion, Russo-japanese and the first world war. They were lightly armed and armored for the time, but this small size and simple design made faster their construction. They were also … Read more
Nihhon Kaigun (1901-1922): Armoured Cruisers IJN Kasuga, Nisshin Italian-Built for an upcoming war Kasuga class armoured cruisers. These Cruisers were part of a rapid explansion plan of the Imperial Japanese Navy prior to the 1904 war with Russia. In a short span, Japan, still lacking the industrial output to built many cruisers and capital ships … Read more
Imperial Japanese Navy, protected cruiser (1890-1923) IJN Akistushima was the first Japanese-built, British-designed cruiser, with elements of USS Baltimore. Her design was prepared by superstar British engineer Whilliam White. She took part in the battle of yalu 1894, sinking her opponent Kuang Chi and also in 1905 to the Russo-Japanese war, and later to WWI. … Read more
IJN WW1 submarines IJN – About 85 submarines. 16 different types, and many policy changes: The story of WW1 IJN submersibles Holland N°1 moving out for a trial in 1908, colorized by the author A far less well known topic than WW2, the Great War Japanese Submarines is interesting nevertheless to see how Japan started … Read more
