Asashio was laid down at Kawasaki Heavy Industries Kobe Shipyard on 15 October 1964 and launched on 27 November 1965.

On 11 August 1967, a portion of Asashio's hull made contact with the seabed while training in the Tsushima area, damaging part of her sonar.

Asashio participated in Hawaii dispatch training from July 20 to October 8 of the same year.

At around 9:30 pm on 31 March 1978, Asashio collided with Natsugumo while training at Enshu-nada, about 120 km south of Omaezaki, Shizuoka Prefecture.

At that time, anti-submarine attack training aimed at Asashio was underway in this water area, and she came into contact with Natsugumo at a periscope depth of about 16 meters.