With the saying "Nogi of the land, Togo of the sea" he was classed with General Maresuku NOGI as the world-famous admiral who led Japan to victory by the daring Crossing the T tactic, and was much revered by the people as a hero of the Russo-Japanese War.
日本では、大胆な敵前回頭戦法（丁字戦法）により日本を勝利に導いた世界的な名提督として、『陸の乃木　海の東郷』と乃木希典陸軍大将と並び称され、日露戦争の英雄として国民の尊敬を集めた。