Masatora was the son of a draper in Kyoto and was called Chuzaburo SASAKI at first, but he was adopted by the 8th Kyuzo Hidemasa SHIGEYAMA and then called himself Sengo Masatora.
正虎は京都の呉服商の息子で当初は佐々木忠三郎といったが、8世茂山久蔵英政の養子となり千吾正虎と名乗った。