Sendai is 90 minutes from Tokyo on the Tohoku Shinkansen (Hayabusa or Yamabiko services). The journey is comfortable and frequent — trains run every 30 to 40 minutes during peak hours. A reserved seat costs around 11,000 yen one way; the JR Pass covers it. Sendai Station is the main hub for onward connections into the Tohoku region by local train.
Sendai Airport is a 25-minute railway connection from the station on the Airport Access Line, with domestic flights from Tokyo (Haneda and Narita) and a handful of international services including connections to Seoul and Beijing. Budget carriers offer competitive prices on the Tokyo route. The airport itself is small and straightforward.
By bus, overnight coaches from Tokyo take about 5 to 6 hours and cost from 3,000 yen — significantly cheaper than the Shinkansen for travellers without a JR Pass. Several operators including Willer and JR Bus run the route; the overnight trip allows an early morning arrival.