imperial line; imperial lineage
Refers to the unbroken hereditary line of Japanese emperors. Formal and historical term.
The imperial line is said to have continued from Emperor Jimmu.
Imperial family register
Standard kanji spelling for the imperial line.
Compound of 皇 (imperial) and 統 (lineage, continuation). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term has been used in formal contexts to refer to the unbroken line of Japanese emperors.