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The Battle of Savo Island (probably the largest single loss for the US Navy in the war) the Japanese had a line of five heavy cruisers, one of the 10 guns cruisers (Takao-class Chokai) leading the four 6 guns cruisers of the Furutaka and Aoba classes. These five heavy cruisers were leading two light cruisers (the at that time old Tenryuu, and the newer, slightly more advanced, Yuubari) and one destroyer, Yunagi, an old Kamikaze-class, older than the Mutsuki-class. (Yunagi's sistership Hayate has the distinction of being the first Japanese ship sunk in the war..before Kisaragi.)
These ships sank three American heavy cruisers and damaged an Australian heavy cruiser enough that it was scuttled several hours later. Two American destroyers were also damaged. Only three of the Japanese cruisers were damaged. Kako was sunk later by submarine on the way home.
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