Supply Ships

Vessel	Dimensions	Displacement	Machinery	Speed	Armament	Crew
KASHINO	451' x 61'6" x 21'8"	10,360-tons	Geared turbines, 4 boilers, 2 shafts.	14 knots	2 x 4.7-in. (2x1), 4-13mm mgs (2x2)	Unknown
SOYA	257' x 42' x 20'	3,800-tons	VTE steam engine, 2 boilers, 1 shaft.	12.4 knots	1 x 80 mm (3-in.), 2 x 25mm AA, 10 DCs	35
ARATAMA MARU	446.5' x 59.1' x 33.8'	6,873-tons	Turbine engines, 398 n.h.p.	15 knots	Unknown	Unknown
ONOE MARU	461' x 59' x 26'	6,667-tons	Steam turbine engine, 1 shaft, 7,400 i.h.p.	18 knots	Unknown	Unknown
HITACHI MARU	424.2' x 57.4' x 33'	6,540-tons	Steam turbine engines.	15.5 knots	Unknown	Unknown
TATSUTAKE MARU	441.6' x 58.4' x 33'	7,068-tons	Steam turbine engine, 1 shaft.	12.5 knots	1 x 20 mm (7.8-in.), 1 x 20mm AA,	Unknown

KYUHEIKAN!
Stories of the IJN's Ammunition Ships

(Cargo ship by Takeshi Yuki scanned from "Color Paintings of Japanese Warships")
KASHINO was specifically built to transport the YAMATO-class batttleships' main armament 457mm (18.1-inch) Type 94 guns and turrets from their point of manufacture (Kure Naval Arsenal) to the shipbuilders' yard. KASHINO was completed with two large holds capable of housing the massive turrets. After transporting the last of MUSASHI's ordnance, the holds were sealed over and KASHINO reverted to an ammunition transport.
SOYA was one of the IJN's auxiliary ammunition ships. She was built with an ice breaker's bow for operation in northern areas, but during the war was based at Rabaul and Truk. She was also fitted out as a survey ship and conducted several such missions. SOYA survived the war and after duty with the Allied Repatriation Service, served with the Japanese Martime Safety Agency on several expeditions to the South Pole. Today, she is a museum ship in the Tokyo area.
The IJN also requisitioned another 12 merchant vessels during the war for use as ammunition ships. ARATAMA MARU was one of these. She was abandoned off Guam after being torpedoed by USS SEAHORSE in April 1944. Auxiliary ammunition ship ONOE MARU was torpedoed and sunk by USS RATON in the Bismarcks in Nov '43, while HITACHI MARU was bombed and sunk off Buin, Bougainville in February 1943 and TATSUTAKE MARU was torpedoed and sunk by USS PLUNGER in May 1943.

Vessel Dimensions Displacement Machinery Speed Armament Crew
KASHINO 451' x 61'6" x
21'8" 10,360-tons Geared turbines, 4 boilers, 2 shafts. 14 knots 2 x 4.7-in. (2x1), 4-13mm mgs (2x2) Unknown
SOYA 257' x 42' x
20' 3,800-tons VTE steam engine, 2 boilers, 1 shaft. 12.4 knots 1 x 80 mm (3-in.), 2 x 25mm AA, 10 DCs 35
ARATAMA MARU 446.5' x 59.1' x 33.8' 6,873-tons Turbine engines, 398 n.h.p. 15 knots Unknown Unknown
ONOE MARU 461' x 59' x 26' 6,667-tons Steam turbine engine, 1 shaft, 7,400 i.h.p. 18 knots Unknown Unknown
HITACHI MARU 424.2' x 57.4' x 33' 6,540-tons Steam turbine engines. 15.5 knots Unknown Unknown
TATSUTAKE MARU 441.6' x 58.4' x 33' 7,068-tons Steam turbine engine, 1 shaft. 12.5 knots 1 x 20 mm (7.8-in.), 1 x 20mm AA, Unknown