[2] The design of the Katori class was a modified and improved version of the King Edward VII-class battleships of the Royal Navy.

The engines were rated at 15,600–16,600 indicated horsepower (11,600–12,400 kW) and designed to reach a top speed of 18.5 knots (34.3 km/h; 21.3 mph) although they proved to be faster during their sea trials.

[3][4] The armament of the Katori class ships differed due to being built by competing shipyards.

[6] The tertiary armament of both ships was twelve 45-caliber 6-inch (152 mm) guns, compared to the ten of the King Edward VIIs.

[3] Whilst conducting gunnery training in Hiroshima Bay on 16 September 1907, brown powder propellant in Kashima's starboard rear 10-inch gun mount ignited when it came in contact with burning residue from the previous shot.

[13] When World War I began, Kashima was refitting while Katori was assigned to the 1st Battleship Squadron.

Katori began a refit in 1914 that lasted until late 1916 and was assigned to the 5th Battleship Squadron upon its completion.

Kashima joined her sister in the 5th Battleship Squadron as its flagship in 1918 and both ships covered the landing of Japanese troops in Siberia in August of that year as Japan decided to intervene in the Russian Civil War.

[14] In 1921, Katori, escorted by Kashima, carried Crown Prince Hirohito on his tour of Europe where he met King George V.[15] Both ships were disarmed in 1923 and later scrapped to comply with the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty.

[16] All of their guns were turned over to the Imperial Japanese Army for use as coastal artillery; two of Katori's main-gun turrets were installed around Tokyo Bay and on Iki Island in the Strait of Tsushima.