Sakura (桜 or 櫻, "cherry blossom") was one of 18 Matsu-class destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during the final stages of World War II.

Designed for ease of production, the Matsu class was smaller, slower and more lightly armed than previous destroyers as the IJN intended them for second-line duties like escorting convoys, releasing the larger ships for missions with the fleet.

The accuracy of the Type 89 guns was severely reduced against aircraft because no high-angle gunnery director was fitted.

The ships carried a total of twenty-five 25-millimeter (1 in) Type 96 anti-aircraft guns in 4 triple and 13 single mounts.

On 12 February 1945, Sakura departed Moji as part of the escort for Convoy MOTA-36 bound for Keelung, Taiwan.

When she struck a mine on 11 July in Osaka Harbor, her aft magazine exploded, severing her stern.