loyalty to the emperor; imperial loyalism
Historical term referring to devotion and service to the Japanese emperor, especially prominent during the late Edo period and the Meiji Restoration.
Many imperial loyalists appeared at the end of the Edo period.
Standard kanji spelling; 王 (king) is used for the emperor in this historical context.
Variant spelling using 皇 (emperor); both forms are used, but 勤王 is more common.
Compound of 勤 (diligence, service) and 王 (king, here referring to the emperor). The term gained prominence in the 19th century as part of the sonnō jōi movement.