[2] These were the first major capital ships to be designed and constructed entirely by Japan in a Japanese shipyard, albeit with imported weaponry and numerous components.

She then visited Flushing and Ostend in Flanders, Holland; Brest and Bordeaux in France; Vigo, Lisbon, Naples, Malta, Venice and Trieste before returning to Japan via the Suez Canal and Indian Ocean, thus circumnavigating the globe.

Some 200 crewmen were killed immediately, and over 100 more were drowned as the battlecruiser sank in shallow waters within twenty minutes, with a total loss of 305 men.

The cause of the explosion was later attributed to a fire in her ammunition magazine, possibly through spontaneous combustion from deterioration of the Shimose powder in her shells.

The masts, bridge and smokestacks of the vessel remained above water, and afterwards, her hulk was raised, and used as a target for naval aviation training.