Sangawa Motochika served as a bushō during the Sengoku and Azuchi-Momoyama periods.  He was the lord of Toramaru Castle in Sanuki Province.

Motochika was born as the eldest son of Sangawa Motomasa.  Upon the death of his father, Motochika succeeded him as the head of the clan and moved from Hirune Castle to Toramaru Castle.  Motochika’s younger brother, Sangawa Mitsunaga, then entered Hirune Castle.  In 1572, owing to a scheme devised by an enemy named Yasutomi Morisada, he transferred Toramaru Castle to Miyoshi Nagaharu and withdrew to Hirune Castle.  Meanwhile, Morisada, followed by Sogō Masayasu, served as the lord of Toramaru Castle until it was abandoned in 1585.

In the eighth month of 1582, Motochika joined Sogō Masayasu to fight against Chōsokabe Motochika, but was killed at the Battle of Nakatomigawa.  After Motochika’s death, the Sangawa clan was inherited by his son, Sangawa Shichirō Mitsunaga.  Mitsunaga served Toyotomi Hideyoshi.  In the twelfth month of 1587, he joined Sengoku Hidehisa and the Chōsokabe to oppose the Shimazu clan at the Battle of Hetsugigawa in Kyūshū, but was defeated.

A long sword received as a votive offering from Motochika is kept at the Usa Shrine in Ōita Prefecture.