From which Japanese bay did the Pearl Harbor attack force depart in November 1941?

The Japanese Pearl Harbor attack force departed from Hitokappu Bay in the Kurile Islands.

The carrier strike force left Hitokappu Bay on November 26, 1941, beginning a secret voyage across the North Pacific. The remote location helped conceal the departure from foreign observers and supported Japan’s plan for a surprise attack.

The force maintained radio silence during the voyage and followed a northern route before turning toward Hawaii. Its ships included six fleet carriers, escorts, tankers, and other support vessels. The carriers launched their first aircraft early on December 7, Hawaii time.

Hitokappu Bay is now generally known as Kasatka Bay and lies on Iturup Island in the Kurile chain. The departure point is sometimes confused with the fleet’s staging or assembly areas, but Hitokappu Bay is the standard historical answer for where the attack force set out.