 From 1903-1904, he served as chief gunnery officer on the cruiser .Following Sano's promotion to lieutenant commander in 1904, he was assigned as aide-de-camp to Prince Yamashina Kikumaro for the duration of the Russo-Japanese War.After the war, he served in a number of staff positions, and was assigned as executive officer to the submarine tender "Toyohashi" in 1908.