During the Russo-Japanese War, the obsolete "Itsukushima" and her sister ships were assigned to the 5th squadron of the reserve IJN 3rd Fleet, together with the equally outdated ironclad battleship under the command of Admiral Kataoka Shichirō. Despite the limited capability of his ships, Admiral Kataoka was assigned to support the blockade of Port Arthur by patrols and escorts in the Korea Strait starting in February 1904 based out of the Takeshiki Guard District on Tsushima island. During May, "Itsukushima" covered the landings of the Japanese First Army and Japanese Second Army in Manchuria. From June through July, "Itsukushima" supported the Battle of Port Arthur by patrols of the harbor mouth, and shore bombardment of Russian positions, skirmishing with the Russian cruiser on 26 June and with the cruiser on 9 July, and with "Bayan", and on 26 July.