▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁T sing ta o ▁before ▁returning ▁to ▁S ase bo ▁on ▁ 2 ▁October ▁ 1 9 1 4 . ▁The ▁following ▁month ▁she ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁First ▁South ▁Se as ▁Squadron , ▁based ▁at ▁F iji ▁and ▁later ▁at ▁the ▁Mar ques as ▁Islands . ▁On ▁ 1 ▁September ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁I w ate ▁was ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁Training ▁Squadron ▁where ▁she ▁conducted ▁long - distance ▁ocean ic ▁navigation ▁and ▁officer ▁training ▁for ▁cad ets ▁in ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Japanese ▁Navy ▁Academy . ▁She ▁began ▁the ▁first ▁of ▁her ▁ 1 6 ▁training ▁cru ises ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁April ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁together ▁with ▁Az uma , ▁and ▁visited ▁Australia ▁and ▁S out heast ▁Asia ▁before ▁returning ▁home ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁August . ▁The ▁ship ▁was ▁rel ieved ▁of ▁her ▁assignment ▁the ▁next ▁month , ▁but ▁rejo ined ▁the ▁Training ▁Squadron ▁a ▁year ▁later ▁in ▁prepar ation ▁for ▁her ▁next ▁training ▁cru ise . ▁I w ate ▁depart ed ▁on ▁ 2 ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁bound ▁for ▁Central ▁America , ▁Hawai i ▁and ▁the ▁South ▁Sea ▁Islands , ▁and ▁returned ▁on ▁ 6 ▁July . ▁ ▁Two ▁years ▁later , ▁the ▁ship ▁began ▁her ▁next ▁training ▁cru ise ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁August ▁ 1 9 2 0 , ▁visit ing ▁South ▁America ▁and ▁the ▁South ▁Sea ▁Islands , ▁before ▁returning ▁on ▁ 4 ▁April ▁ 1 9 2 1 . ▁On ▁ 1 ▁September ,