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He'd punch and strike a tree until his knuckles bleed and his toes were numb. Trees and stones were used to develop punching and kicking power, and served to strengthen the hands and feet. Having natural objects such as trees, stones, animals always available, he used everything as his training partner. Living nearby woods, rice fields and riverbanks, he used everyplace as his dojo. Eventually, he discovered many kuden points, and made the technique a natural part of his movement. To truly master these techniques, Grandmaster Tanemura drilled each technique several thousand times. Then, the students were expected to discover from experience, the special body dynamics which allow the waza (technique) to work in a real situation. Each movement was shown only a few times. His bujutsu masters were all very strict and closely guarded the secrets hidden within the kata (technique patterns). In addition to his classes at the dojo, the Grand Master trained anytime he was free to perfect his skill and techniques. Once awake, he was expected to continue his training immediately. When he was knocked out, a bucket of icy cold water would be used to revive him. He was regularly beaten up and knocked unconscious.

It was conducted out-of-doors and the students went barefoot, regardless of the weather. He practiced unarmed techniques and sword almost everyday. The young Tanemura was taught from the age of nine by his father and father's uncle, Kakunosuke Yamazaki, who was an 8th dan in the Onoha Itto ryu.

Being a very traditional father, Sadatsune introduced his son to the martial arts at a young age.

He was an expert in kenjutsu (the art of the sword) and jukenjutsu (the art of the bayonet), as well as various schools of jujutsu (Shizen Ryu system) and Ninjutsu (Takeda system). His father, Sadatsune Tanemura, was the 17th family head of a Samurai line, whose roots extend to those of the Emperors Uda and Seiwa as well as having blood ties to the famous daimyo of the Sasaki and Takeda families.

Tsunehisa was his given name, but later he took the name "Shoto" meaning the "Law of the Sword". Grandmaster Tanemura was born with the name Tsunehisa Tanemura on the 28th of August 1947, in the town of Matsubushi, which is located in Saitama prefecture, Japan.