Hikawa Maru Class Ocean Liner
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The was a class of
ocean liner An ocean liner is a type of passenger ship primarily used for transportation across seas or oceans. Ocean liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes (such as for pleasure cruises or as hospital ships). The ...
s of
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
, serving during the 1930s, and after
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.


Background

In 1927-28, the NYK Line placed an order for eight ocean liners to reinforce the
Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
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route (3 × ''Hikawa Maru'' class), Japan–
San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
route (3 × ''Asama Maru'' class), and Japan–
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
route (2 × ''Terukuni Maru'' class). The ''Hikawa Maru'' class were named the ''Hikawa Maru'', ''Hiye Maru'' (later ''Hie Maru'') and ''Heian Maru''.


Service

''Hikawa Maru'' was completed on 25 April 1930. Her maiden voyage was 13 May 1930 for
Yokohama is the List of cities in Japan, second-largest city in Japan by population as well as by area, and the country's most populous Municipalities of Japan, municipality. It is the capital and most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a popu ...
–Seattle. Arrived at Seattle on 27 May. She sailed 73 times until August 1941. Her service was popular, and the cuisine was well-regarded, as NYK Line employed a chef trained in
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
. ''Hie Maru'' was completed on 31 July 1930. Her maiden voyage was 23 August 1930 from
Kobe Kobe ( ; , ), officially , is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. With a population of around 1.5 million, Kobe is Japan's List of Japanese cities by population, seventh-largest city and the third-largest port city after Port of Toky ...
. ''Heian Maru'' was completed on 24 November 1930. Her maiden voyage was 18 December 1930 from
Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
. All of them were enlisted by the
Imperial Japanese Navy The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN; Kyūjitai: Shinjitai: ' 'Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire', or ''Nippon Kaigun'', 'Japanese Navy') was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945, Potsdam Declaration, when it was dissolved followin ...
(IJN) in October–November 1941.


Ships in class


Service in World War II

* ''Hikawa Maru'' was classified to auxiliary hospital ship on 1 December 1941, and she was assigned to the 4th Fleet. * ''Hie Maru'' was classified to auxiliary submarine tender on 15 February 1942, and she was assigned to the 6th Fleet. * ''Heian Maru'' was classified to auxiliary submarine tender on 15 October 1941, and she was assigned to the 6th Fleet. * 17 November 1943, ''Hie Maru'' was sunk by USN submarine. * 18 February 1944, ''Heian Maru'' was sunk by air raid at Chuuk. * 10 August 1946, ''Hikawa Maru'' survived war, and she was reverted to the NYK Line.


Ships in class as naval vessel


Photos

Image:Hie Maru.jpg, NYK Line ''Hie Maru'' Image:Heian Maru.jpg, NYK Line ''Heian Maru'' in 1937 Image:Hikawa Maru-inWartime.jpg, IJN ''Hikawa Maru'' in wartime Image:Japanese 5th Fleet in 1943.jpg, IJN ''Heian Maru'' (center) in May 1943 Image:Heian Maru-1943.jpg, IJN ''Heian Maru'' in June 1943 Image:Hikawa Maru-1947.JPG, NYK Line ''Hikawa Maru'' in 1947 Image:Hikawa-maru (from Yokohama Marine Tower).jpg, ''Hikawa Maru'' in the 21st century


See also

* Asama Maru class ocean liner * Terukuni Maru class ocean liner


Footnotes


Bibliography

* Tashirō Iwashige, ''The visual guide of Japanese wartime merchant marine'', (Japan), May 2009 *''Ships of the World special issue, The Golden Age of Japanese Passenger Liners'', , (Japan), May 2004 *''Voyage of a Century "Photo Collection of NYK Ships"'', , (Japan), October 1985 * ''The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.29, "Japanese submarine tenders w/ auxiliary submarine tenders"'', (Japan), July 1979 * ''The Maru Special, Japanese Naval Vessels No.53, "Japanese support vessels"'', Ushio Shobō (Japan), July 1981 {{DEFAULTSORT:Hikawa Maru Ocean liner classes World War II auxiliary ships of Japan Hospital ships of Japan Submarine tenders of the Imperial Japanese Navy Ships of the NYK Line World War II merchant ships of Japan