Yanagi (柳, "Willow") was one of 18 Matsu-class escort destroyers built for the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) during 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.

[2][6] Authorized in the late 1942 Modified 5th Naval Armaments Supplement Program,[7] Yanagi (willow) was laid down by Fujinagata Shipyards on 20 August 1944 in its Osaka facility and launched on 25 November.

Yanagi was still in Ominato when Task Force 38 conducted further attacks in the Hokkaido area on 9–10 August and was further damaged.

[9][10] The ship was turned over to Allied forces at Hakodate at the time of the surrender of Japan on 2 September and was stricken from the navy list on 20 November.