Umi Yukaba was a Japanese Navy song and the de facto anthem of Japan alongside Kimigayo. Its lyrics come from a poem written sometime in the eighth century, making it one of the oldest national anthems of any country. It was put to music by Kiyoshi Nobutoki, a catholic who it is said based its melody on the hymn “Nearer, my God, to Thee.” The song was sung by Kamikaze pilots before they made their last journey, and it is still used as a Navy Hymn today.