I'll Tell You Everything You Need to Know to Become a Sailor

"I want to be a sailor, but I don't know where to start."
For those people, I, a sailor with 10 years of experience, will tell you everything. I'll spill it all—about the qualifications, the schools, and even the things nobody ever told me.

First, these are the qualifications you need
The minimum qualification required to become a sailor is either a 4th Grade Maritime Officer (Navigation) or a 4th Grade Maritime Engineer (Engineering) license.
Generally, if you want to be on the side that steers the ship as a navigator on a 499T class vessel, you need the 4th Grade Maritime Officer license; if you want to be on the side responsible for the engine and machinery, you need the 4th Grade Maritime Engineer license. You should choose based on which one you want to do.
You can basically board coastal vessels (ships that travel within Japan) if you have this 4th grade license. However, if you want to work actively as a navigator on ferries or passenger ships, it's definitely a huge advantage to get up to a 2nd Grade Maritime Officer license.
The higher you aim for qualifications, the wider the range of ships you can board and the work you can handle. In the long run, it's definitely better to aim for the top from the start.

How do you get the qualifications?

If you're good at studying, self-study is fine!! But if you have the brains to get a maritime officer qualification through self-study, I wouldn't really recommend becoming a sailor. Haha.

The smoothest way is to go to school.
There are many maritime schools, and they are broadly divided based on whether you want to become an ocean-going navigator or a coastal navigator; the school you attend will differ, and you will receive a 3rd or 4th grade maritime officer qualification upon graduation. My route was going to a fisheries high school, then a junior college, and then entering the world of ships.
In high school classes, you learn the basics of navigation, not just at a desk, but through practical training as well. You actually get on a ship and experience steering, so it feels much more real than just classroom learning.
However, if you go with the mindset of "I just need to get the qualification," it will be tough later on. Everything you learn at school will connect to the actual work site, so you should absorb it properly.

The route to becoming a navigator
After getting your coastal navigator qualification, if you want to aim even higher, there is the option of the Maritime Technology College.
Going from a specialized high school to the Maritime Technology College is one route to becoming a navigator. There is something called the Marine Technical College, and sailors usually go there for navigation training; there is intensive training to become immediately useful on the job.
Another option is a National College of Maritime Technology. It's an integrated education system where you study high school and college together over 5 years, and you can aim for higher-level qualifications upon graduation. If you want to use your time efficiently, I recommend this one.

Summary of the shortest routes
These are the two shortest routes to becoming a navigator.
Route 1: Coastal
Maritime Technology School (3 years) → Coastal Navigator
Route 2:
Maritime Technology School (3 years) → Maritime Technology College (2 years) → Ocean-going Navigator
National College of Maritime Technology (5 years) → Ocean-going Navigator

Both take a total of 5 years, and there isn't much difference between them, but since they are basically maritime schools, they are often located in the countryside. However, the Maritime Technology College and the Shimizu Maritime Technology Junior College are located in cities compared to other schools, so I recommend them. Haha.

There isn't one "correct" answer. You should choose the one that fits your personality and environment. There's also the route of entering from a fisheries high school like I did.

What I learned after getting my qualifications
I'll tell you one thing I wish I had known before I got my qualifications.
Getting the qualification is not the goal.
When I first boarded a ship after getting my 4th Grade Maritime Officer license, even though I had the qualification, I was completely useless on the job. I couldn't keep up with the seniors' movements, my judgment was slow, and my body wouldn't move.
The qualification is just a permit that says, "You are allowed to board this ship." It is not proof that you can do the job.
You get polished on the job, make mistakes, get scolded, learn from your seniors, and finally become a full-fledged professional. Getting the qualification just means you've reached the starting line.
So, even after you get your qualification, I want you to keep learning without being satisfied. Because you learn the most on the job.

To those aiming to be sailors
Studying for qualifications is tough. School life is also tough.
Practical training is physically demanding, and there are exams to study for. I think there will be nights when you wonder, "Why am I doing this?"
But the moment you start boarding the ship, the moment you are surrounded only by the sea, the moment you see the starry sky in its full glory for the first time.
There will definitely come a day when you can think, "I'm glad I came here."
Since I'm saying this after 10 years of doing it, I'm probably not wrong. Hahahaha.