Murakumo (叢雲, ”Massed Clouds”)[1] was the fifth of twenty-four Fubuki-class destroyers, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy following World War I.

Construction of the advanced Fubuki-class destroyers was authorized as part of the Imperial Japanese Navy's expansion program from fiscal 1923, intended to give Japan a qualitative edge with the world's most modern ships.

At the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor, Murakumo was assigned to Destroyer Division 12 of Desron 3 of the IJN 1st Fleet, and had deployed from Kure Naval District to the port of Samah on Hainan Island.

In July 1942, Murakumo sailed from Amami-Oshima to Mako Guard District, Singapore, Sabang and Mergui for a projected second Indian Ocean raid.

[7] On another mission on 11–12 October 1942, as Murakumo was attempting to assist the cruiser Furutaka in the aftermath of the Battle of Cape Esperance, she was attacked by Allied aircraft.