Their typical routing in the 1920s was from Yokohama, Kobe, Moji, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malacca, Penang, Colombo, Aden, Suez, Port Said, Naples, Marseilles, Gibraltar and London.

On its maiden voyage from Yokohama to London in October–December 1914 it carried 110 men of the Shanghai British Contingent, returning to Britain to join the armed forces.

[3] Later assigned to NYK's northern Pacific route to Seattle, the ship suffered from a fire in her first class cabins in summer 1921, and underwent extensive repairs in Nagasaki.

[5] Suwa Maru was briefly requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Army on 29 August 1937 to transport troops and materials to China for the Second Sino-Japanese War, but was returned to NYK on 9 January 1938.

On 18 April, she was released back to NYK but was then requisitioned by the Imperial Japanese Navy on 8 August and attached to Kure Naval District.

The submarine fired two torpedoes, one of which struck the No.4 and No.5 hold, blowing the stern off the ship, To prevent sinking, Suwa Maru was beached on a nearby reef at approximately 19°13′N 166°34′E / 19.217°N 166.567°E / 19.217; 166.567.,[7] with 14 passengers killed.