Kinugasa was a heavy cruiser of the Aoba class in the Imperial Japanese Navy. Masao Sawa became her captain on 20 August 1941.
On 11 December 1941 she took part in the Battle of Wake Island, where she covered the second landing.
On 8 May 1942 she was in the Battle of the Coral Sea with the carrier Shoho. Kinugasa came through that day still afloat.
At the Battle of Savo Island on 9 August 1942, the American cruiser Vincennes put one shell into Kinugasa's steering gear and damaged it. The hit left her hurt, and she was still afloat when the night ended.
At the Battle of Cape Esperance on 11 October 1942, Kinugasa turned away. Her shells set off a magazine in the American cruiser Boise between the forward turrets, and about 100 men aboard Boise were killed. Boise remained afloat, and so did Kinugasa.
American carrier aircraft sank Kinugasa on 14 November 1942, south of Guadalcanal. The sinking is not credited to one plane. The steering damage she had taken at Savo Island had not finished her; the air attack that November did.