How to travel between Lake Towada and Tokyo
By train
Take a Hayate or Hayabusa train on the JR Tohoku Shinkansen from Tokyo to Hachinohe (3 hours, seat reservations mandatory). Then take the Aoimori Railway from Hachinohe to Noheji (30-45 minutes) and finally the JR Ominato Line from Noheji to Shimokita (50 minutes). The entire one way trip takes around five hours, costs about 17,000 yen and is fully covered by the Japan Rail Pass.
By air
JAL operates three daily flights between Tokyo's Haneda Airport and Misawa Airport in Aomori Prefecture. Flight duration is about 80 minutes. The regular one way fare is around 30,000 yen, however, discount tickets are typically available for between 16,000 and 19,000 yen. With an air pass, you can fly for even less. Access to/from Misawa Airport is explained below under Orientation.
By highway bus
Overnight buses connect Tokyo Station with Aomori and Hachinohe. The one way journey takes about 9.5 hours and costs about 10,000 yen, while round trip tickets are available for 17,000 yen and must be used within 7 days. Discount bus companies, such as Willer Express, offer considerably cheaper fares. From Aomori or Hachinohe, the Shimokita Peninsula can be reached by local trains in about two hours and for around 2000 yen one way.
The above fees and schedules are subject to change. For the current yen exchange rate, click here.
Orientation
Public transportation on the Shimokita Peninsula is limited and seasonal. Mutsu City, the largest city on the peninsula, serves as the area's transportation hub. Most rail travelers will access the peninsula through Mutsu's Shimokita Station and use a rental car or local buses to navigate the area from there.
Mutsu Bus Terminal is located about three kilometers northeast of Shimokita Station. Several buses serve both the railway station and the bus terminal, but some buses stop only at the bus terminal. The most important bus line connects Mutsu via Ohata with Oma year around. The bus line to Osorezan, however, does not operate from November through April.
A simplified rail and bus network map of the peninsula is shown below:
A more convenient means of getting around the peninsula is a rental car. Rental outlets are available at Shimokita Station, Noheji Station, Aomori Station, Hachinohe Station and Misawa Airport.
The closest airport to the Shimokita Peninsula, Misawa Airport is connected to Misawa Station by bus (15 minutes, 310 yen one way). From Misawa Station, Shimokita Station is a one hour, 1890 yen train ride via Noheji Station.
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