She originally intended as a domestically built fourth vessel in the Matsushima class of cruisers under the Jeune École philosophy promoted by French military advisor and naval architect Louis-Émile Bertin.

[2] The armaments of Akitsushima were initially based on the cruiser Chiyoda, with four QF 6 inch /40 naval guns with a maximum range of up to 9,100 metres (10,000 yd) and fire rate of five to seven rounds per minute, mounted on sponsons on the upper deck (two on the bow on both sides of the foremast and two in the stern behind the mainmast).

Later as part of the flying squadron led by Admiral Tsuboi Kōzō at the Battle of the Yellow Sea on 17 September 1894, Akitsushima is credited with sinking the cruiser Zhiyuan.

She subsequently participated in the Battle of Weihaiwei, where her role was primarily to provide fire support to assist the Imperial Japanese Army in capturing the landward fortifications.

Akitsushima was among the Japanese fleet units that took part in the seizure of the Pescadores and the invasion of Taiwan in 1895, and saw action on 13 October 1895 at the bombardment of Cihou Fort at Kaohsiung.

During the Spanish–American War, Akitsushima (which was then based at Makung in the Pescadores Islands), was sent to Manila in the Philippines under the command of Captain Saitō Makoto to safeguard Japanese citizens and economic interests.

Akitsushima, under the command of Captain Fujii Kōichi, was called upon for escort duty to protect transports ferrying Japanese troops and supplies during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900.

However, Akitsushima was still considered underpowered, poorly-armored, and outgunned by the start of the Russo-Japanese War of 1904–1905, and was largely assigned to rear line duties, as part of the 6th division of the Japanese Third Fleet.

The admiral's remains and those of five of his officers were recovered by a salvage team from the wreck of the battleship Petropavlovsk which had been sunk by a naval mine during the Russo-Japanese War at the entrance to Port Arthur.