The Japanese battleship Hiei was a fast, heavily armed vessel that met a dramatic end.

Countries & Cities · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Commissioned in 1914, the Hiei began as a battlecruiser before evolving into a fast battleship. After escorting the fleet that attacked Pearl Harbor, she played a central role in the naval battles of 1942, ultimately becoming the first Japanese battleship lost during the Second World War in a chaotic night engagement.

Designed by British naval architect George Thurston, the Hiei was the second of four Kongō-class battlecruisers. Laid down in 1911, she was a formidable capital ship, featuring 14-inch main guns and armor that accounted for over 23% of her displacement. Following the Washington Naval Treaty, she was demilitarized in 1929 to avoid being scrapped, serving as a training ship and transport for Emperor Hirohito. However, once Japan exited the naval treaties in the 1930s, the Hiei underwent a massive reconstruction. This refit upgraded her powerplant, rebuilt her superstructure, and enhanced her armor, reclassifying her as a fast battleship capable of speeds up to 30.5 knots.

During the Second World War, the Hiei participated in major operations, including the Indian Ocean raid and the Battle of Midway. Her final engagement occurred during the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal on 13 November 1942. While attempting to bombard Henderson Field, her force encountered American cruisers and destroyers in Ironbottom Sound. Because the Japanese fleet had not anticipated surface resistance, the Hiei's main guns were loaded with anti-aircraft shells, which proved ineffective against the armor of the American warships. In the ensuing close-range melee, she was struck by dozens of shells, including critical hits from the USS San Francisco that jammed her rudder and left her unmaneuverable.

Crippled and unable to steer, the Hiei became a stationary target for daylight air attacks from Henderson Field and the USS Enterprise. After sustaining multiple bomb and torpedo hits, her crew was ordered to abandon ship, and she was scuttled by her own escorts that evening. The loss of 188 crew members marked a significant blow to the Imperial Japanese Navy. In 2019, the exploration ship RV Petrel discovered the wreck, which now lies upside down in 3,000 feet of water, with her bow missing forward of the bridge due to a magazine explosion.

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