After Allied forces landed on Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, as part of the Allied Guadalcanal campaign, Ichiki was assigned to take a portion of his regiment (2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, with artillery and engineers; nicknamed the “Ichiki Detachment”) to recapture Henderson Airfield and drive the Allied forces off the island.
Efter at allierede styrker var gået i land på Guadalcanal i Salomonøerne, fik Ichiki til opgave at tage en del af sit regiment (2. bataljon af 28. infanteriregiment med artilleri og ingeniører – kaldet "Ichiki enheden" – og generobre Henderson Field flyvepladsen og fordrive de allierede styrker fra øen.