Nagoya-Tokyo-Sendai

I'm considering a 10 day trip to Japan next year, probably early in the year.I was planning on making Nagoya my base,and travelling by train to Tokyo and a one-day visit to Sendai.I would like to know how realistic this is, as I'm guessing I would need a JR Pass, and how long are the journeys i'd be undertaking? any advice is appreciated,thank you:) ps this is by no means a concrete plan!

Is there a reason you want to base out of Nagoya? Which city will you be visiting more often Nagoya or Tokyo?

Nagoya to Tokyo is about 1hr 45 to 2hrs travel time. Then Tokyo to Sendai is another 1hr 45 to 2 hr trip.

yes, I have have a friend i will be visiting who lives there (nagoya) i'm not sure at this point, but perhaps it would be better to arrange accommodation in both nagoya and tokyo, and move onto sendai from tokyo?the reason i wanted to use nagoya was also to minimise accomodation costs, as i'm on a tight budget:)any suggestions are appreciated,sorry i cannot provide more information.

just for arguments sake, if i were to stay 5 days in each place (nagoya and tokyo) then what is the most cost-efficient rail pass for me to purchase?it seems a waste to get the 14day JR since i'll be paying for 4 days i wont use?

JR Rail Pass: It depends: If you arrive and leave by Chubu ( Nagoya ) airport so you will only have two long distance rides: Nagoya - Tokyo - Nagoya what is 21 000 Yen by shinkansen, so no Pass. If you add Tokyo - Sendai - Tokyo then a 7 day JR Rail Pass at Yen 28 300 makes sense and you start the validity of the Pass the day you go Nagoya - Tokyo. If you fly in/out NRT ( Tokyo ) even a 14 day Railpass makes sense if you have to travel Narita - Nagoya - Tokyo - Sendai - Tokyo - Nagoya - Tokyo - Narita.

If he is flying into nagoya (NGO) and skips visiting Sendai then regular tickets probably come cheaper, there are even discount tickets for that route.

why Sendai for a day trip from Nagoya? time consuming for sure. You might have to overnight in Tokyo.
What's wrong with Osaka and Kyoto, both close to Nagoya?

Here is what I think...
nothing wrong in basing yourself in Nagoya considering you have friends there. Nagoya provides a convenient accessibility to many places. If you are planning a lot of side trips near Nagoya other than to Tokyo/Sendai then it makes sense to have a rail pass. you may want to get 7 day rail pass, start using on the fourth day of your 10 day trip from Nagoya considering you are arriving to Nagoya on flight. Check fares before you decide. However if your trip is laid back, such as if you'd be traveling with your friends there in Nagoya then your rail pass usage may conflict with their schedules or your plan and won't be worth the money you paid for.

i mean to stay a few days in nagoya, and a few days in tokyo, and then from tokyo visit other cities.it just so happens that i know someone in sendai and thought i might try and visit them and see the sights.

The shinkansen fare Nagoya - Tokyo is around Yen 11 000, Tokyo - Sendai Yen 11 000, too.
So if you come back to Tokyo from Sendai within the 7 day JR Rail Pas validity the Pass is cheaper than single tickets. From Tokyo to Sendai it is 1h 45 min by shinkansen, so even a same day return visit to your friend is possible.