Like most members of the kazoku system of peerage, and all heads of the Shō family since the abolition of the Ryukyu Kingdom, he lived in Tokyo for his whole life.

He was born to Shō Ten and (Shoko) Nodake Aji-ganashi, the last Prince of Nakagusuku of the Ryukyu Kingdom.

At the recommendation of his father he attended Oxford University (accompanied by Masayoshi Kamiyama).

In 1920, he became a Marquess upon the death of his father, and joined the Japanese House of Lords on 21 October.

His eldest daughter was called Fumiko (who later married Koi Ii, a former Mayor of Hikone), and a second daughter was called Kiyoko (who later married Tadahiro Sakai, the former Obama clan family head).