Shiotsuki was born in Sanzai, within what is now Saito, Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan,[1] into a poor farming family.

[contradictory] He graduated from the Tokyo School of Fine Arts in 1912 and taught in Osaka and Matsuyama before adopting the name "Tōho".

[2] Unlike other Japanese teachers who wore official uniforms and exuded an air of authority, Shiotsuki dressed in western-style suits and hats and even refused to wear official uniforms, setting himself apart and earning the nickname "Western beggar" from his students.

[citation needed] In 1930, the Wushe Incident occurred, during which Japanese military police suppressed and persecuted the indigenous Seediq people with violent means such as poison gas.

[citation needed] After returning to Japan, Shiotsuki worked as a lecturer in several institutions and was involved in the design and illustration of books and novels.