The Yamato (大和) was a World War II battleship of the Imperial Japanese Navy of the Yamato class. One of the largest warships in human history ever sunk in combat. Yamato is the ancient name of Japan itself, but in view of the well-known tradition of the Imperial Navy to name ships of the line after historical provinces, in this case, the province of Yamato, roughly corresponding to modern Nara Prefecture, was meant.