The carrier returned to Japan to refuel on 1 September and then sailed to the South China coast, accompanied by "Ryūjō", and began operations against Chinese forces near Canton, now Guangzhou, on 21 September. That day, "Hōshō" contributed six fighters to escort bombers attacking airfields and the combined force encountered seven Curtiss Hawk III fighters, shooting down two, in addition to a pair of observation planes, for no combat losses of their own. Five of the Japanese fighters ran out of fuel during the return flight and had to ditch in the sea, although the aircrews were rescued. A followup air strike that afternoon was unsuccessfully attacked by the five remaining Hawks, at the cost of one of their own. The Japanese pilots claimed to have shot down sixteen enemy aircraft and an additional probable loss during the day's fighting. "Hōshō" and "Ryūjō" returned to the Shanghai area on 3 October and "Hōshō"s aircraft were temporarily transferred to Kunda airfield to support ground operations. On 17 October, the carrier transferred all of her aircraft to "Ryūjō" and returned to Japan where she was placed in on 1 December.