His father relocated to Yonago in neighboring Tottori Prefecture in 1885, and started a company to produce and sell Water wheels.

The venture did not succeed, and the family moved to Sakaiminato starting a business in commodity trading in 1886, followed by tofu production and retail sales in 1887.

In 1895, he was in Tokyo, working as a typesetter and artisan for a newspaper, becoming a reporter for the Nippon Telegraph news agency in 1902, and executive director of the Ogura Racing Association by 1907.

As with all other Japanese politicians, Sakurauchi was forced to join the Taisei Yokusankai created by Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe.

After the surrender of Japan, Sakurauchi was purged from public office in 1946 along with all other members of the wartime administration.