Ii Naomasa Red Devil Calligraphy Poster

井伊直政: Ii Naomasa was a general under the Sengoku period daimyo, and later shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu. He is regarded as one of the Four Guardians of the Tokugawa along with Honda Tadakatsu, Sakakibara Yasumasa, and Sakai Tadatsugu. 赤鬼: Akaoni, literally "Red Devil", is the nickname of Naomasa. The units Naomasa commanded on the battlefield were notable for being outfitted almost completely in blood-red armor for psychological impact, a tactic he adopted from Yamagata Masakage, one of Takeda Shingen's generals, as such, his unit became known as the "Red Devils". In the background is the kamon (family crest) of Ii, Maru ni tachibana (丸に橘) or "citrus Tachibana in a circle", and the statue of Naomasa in Hakone.