 Ramba uchinyora ndima iyi - Sawada aiva mwanakomana wechitatu wemurimi mune yava kunzi nharaunda yeKamobe yeguta reKochi, Kōchi Prefecture. Pashure pokuenda kuzvikoro zvokurovedza zvechiuto muKōchi neHiroshima, akapedza kudzidza mukirasi yechi18 yeImperial Japanese Army Academy muna 1905, achishanda semukuru muduku muuto revarwi. Muna 1910, akatumirwa kuArtillery Engineering School, uye kukirasi yechi26 yeArmy War College muna 1914. Paakapedza kudzidza, akaendeswa kuRecord and Documentation Bureau yeImperial Japanese Army General Staff, kwaakapiwa basa rekunyora zvinyorwa zvepamutemo zveRusso-Japanese War. Muna January 1918, achiri pasi peGeneral Staff Office, akapiwa basa rokuperekedza mauto eJapan mukupindira kweJapan muSiberia, uye akapiwa basa rokushanda kuVladivostok neOmsk. Akanga atoziva mutauro wechiFrench zvakanaka, uye akanga adzidzawo mutauro wechiRussia, kusvikira akamanikidzwa kudzokera kuJapan nemhaka yetyphus muna February 1921. Muna November 1922, pasinei zvapo nokuva nyanzvi munhau dzeSoviet, akagoverwa somumiririri wehondo kuGreece. Muna Nyamavhuvhu 1926, akasimudzirwa kuita lieutenant colonel uye akashanda semurairidzi kuArmy Staff College. akava director weHarbin Special Agency kubva munaNovember 1928. Muna October 1930, akasimudzirwa kuva colonel. 