Japanese gunboat Banjō

Banjō (磐城) was an early steam gunboat, serving in the fledgling Imperial Japanese Navy. It was named after a mountain in Shizuoka prefecture

History
Banjō was a metal-hulled three-masted gunboat with a double expansion reciprocating steam engine with four boilers driving a single screw. Her design was based on the basic outlines of the foreign-designed Amagi, but Banjo built in Japan at the Yokosuka Naval Arsenal and was the fourth vessel to be completed at that shipyard. Her first captain was Tsuboi Kōzō.

Banjō saw combat service in the First Sino-Japanese War, patrolling between Korea, Dairen and Weihaiwei in a reserve capacity in the IJN 2nd Fleet. On 21 March 1898, Banjō was re-designated as a second-class gunboat, and was used for coastal survey and patrol duties.

During the Russo-Japanese War, Banjo assisted in the Siege of Port Arthur. She was present as the Battle of Tsushima.

Banjō was removed from the active list on 12 July 1907 and was struck from the navy list on 25 May 1911. She was demilitarized and sold on 23 April 1912 to the Niigata Prefectural Commercial High School in Niigata, Japan for use as a training vessel.