Getting to Tokyo

BY TRAIN

The most popular mode of long distance travel in Japan is by rail. All you need to know about getting to Tokyo by train can be found at the my JR East web page.
The cost is around ¥20,000 one way. It takes about 3.5 hours.
You have to take a local train from Misawa to Hachinohe to make the Shinkansen (Bullet Train) connection. This takes about 20 minutes. Go the Misawa Station and buy tickets thru to Tokyo. Get the local to Hach. When you get there, walk up the stairs to the second floor and follow the signs for Tokyo Shinkansen. The Hayate is the route you want. If you get lost, ask one of the station employees.
Tokyo station is not for the faint of heart. It is huge and easy to get lost in. Here is a website with maps of Tokyo Stn. Once again, it you get lost, ask a station employee. If he/she can't speak English, they will help you find someone who can.

BY AIR

The fastest but most expensive way travel between Misawa to Tokyo is by air from Misawa Airport to Haneda Airport. Japan Air Lines operates 3 round trip flights per day. The standard one-way cost of this flight is 17,000 Yen and it takes about an hour.

If you are leaving the country, you will probably have to get across town to Tokyo Narita International Airport. Haneda has some international flights but they are mostly within Asia. There is a limosuine service that costs about 3,000 Yen for the trip across town. It can take anywhere from an hour to three hours to make this trip depending on traffic. However 90 minutes has been the average the last couple of times I used it. To be on the safe side, allow plenty of time

This is the link to the JAL web site. Type Misawa as the departing city and Tokyo as the arrival city with the date you want to fly. Japan Airlines Domestic timetable.

BY ROAD

Driving to Tokyo is an option for many folks who don't have to race the clock. There are expressways the entire way but it still takes between 9 and 12 hours depending on how many rest stops you make and traffic.

This option allows you the freedom of seeing the sights along the way and also allows you to travel around the Kanto area at your leisure. Kanto is the name of the area in and around Tokyo. It is cheaper that flying and the train but much slower. If you take the family or share with friends and split the cost, then you can save money over rail and air. Tolls and gas can run you upwards of 15,000 Yen, one way, if you use the expressways.

You can rent a van from Auto Hobby Center. The rental cost includes toll tickets but you still have to pay for gas. This is usually cheaper than driving your own vehicle.
Of course you will probably make a couple of pit stops along the way and food etc adds to the cost. Another consideration is there's no parking on the street in Tokyo. You must have a place to put your vehicle when you are not using it (like overnight).

Willer Express is an overnight bus service that runs from the Misawa Train Station to Tokyo Station and Disney Land. Cost is between ¥5900 and ¥7500 considering age and seat choice. It leaves Misawa at around 7pm and arrives at Tokyo station at 8:10 the next morning. They have a website at www.willerexpress.com/en/.

So do the math as far as time available and the cost of the various modes of travel and choose the one that's best for you.

Here are the Driving Instructions to some common Tokyo destinations.