Yūgure (夕暮, ”Twilight”)[1] was the sixth and last Hatsuharu-class destroyer, built for the Imperial Japanese Navy under the Circle One Program (Maru Ichi Keikaku).

In January 1942, Yūgure escorted aircraft carriers Hiryū and Sōryū to Palau and to Ambon during the invasion of the Netherlands East Indies, and was a participant in the Darwin air raid of 19 February 1942.

Afterwards, she was based at Staring Bay, in Sulawesi from which she conducted escort patrol missions to the end of March.

Although she did not participate in the First Naval Battle of Guadalcanal, she assisted in rescue operations afterwards, taking on crew from the stricken battleship Hiei After returning to Sasebo for repairs through the middle of January 1943, Yūgure escorted a convoy to Qingdao, and from there to Palau and Wewak by the end of February.

In early June, she escorted the aircraft carrier Hiyō to Truk, and returned with the same damaged ship a few days later.