grad school advice — how do you start?

long story short i am currently residing in japan and working full-time. i want to attend grad school in either late 2027 or early 2028. i want to major in something related to english teaching and (possibly) minor in art.

based on what i have researched, Ritsumeikan is a good fit for me. waseda would be nice, but they only have a japanese program.

how do i begin the application process? how do i contact professors? what makes someone a good candidate? how do i apply for scholarships?
note: my undergrad GPA was 3.3 and i have relevant work experience (JET + soon to be international preschool + assistant teacher at a Saturday-only Japanese school in the US + daycare experience + 2 fluent languages + N4 japanese)).

by Different_Taro2474