Misawa - city in Aomori Prefecture, Japan

Misawa (三沢) is a city in Aomori prefecture, Japan.

Get in

By plane

• Misawa Airport (IATA: MSJ), 40.705278°, 141.371944°. Served by Japan Air Lines, which offers domestic service from Haneda Airport in Tokyo. Towada Kanko Bus runs an hourly bus service from the airport to Misawa's train station.

By train

Misawa is a stop on the private Aoimori Railway. It is served by the Tohoku Shinkansen extension to Aomori.

The fastest way to get to Misawa from Tokyo is to take the Tohoku Shinkansen Hayate service to Hachinohe (¥15350), where you can change to the Aoimori Railway for the run to Misawa (20 minutes, ¥550). With good connections the one-way trip will take about 3 hours, 45 minutes. Foreign tourists will find it cheaper to use the JR East Rail Pass or the national Japan Rail Pass, but note that the rail pass will not cover the Aoimori Railway.

By bus

An overnight bus service is offered from Tokyo to Hachinohe (9 hours, ¥9500), from which Misawa is a 20-minute ride on the Aoimori Railway.

Get around

The best way to get around is by car. If you don't have a car, taxis are available with a starting fare of about ¥600.

See

There are many places in and around Misawa that are worth seeing; for example, the Misawa Aviation & Science Museum, Miss Veedol Beach and Swan Lake.

Do

There are a lot of small parks and such, and a small bar district, but not much to do if you don't like nature. It is close to the hakkodas and the ocean, but that is about it.

In September, the joint USAF/JSDF air base opens to the public for its annual airshow.

Buy

Eat

Many local places here have English menus due to the large military population. Lots of food to eat, everything from Chinese to Japanese to Thai, all good.

At Komaki Onsen, there is a 5-star buffet. Perfect for special occasions or if you are just craving delicious steaks. It costs ~¥3400 for the dinner buffet. To find it, the front-desk will be able to guide you to the restaurant which is downstairs near the main Onsen.

Grill Omiya (popularly known as Pizza Curry) is arguably the best example of the gastronomical collision of American and Japanese cuisine. They serve curry on a scale of spiciness ranging from 5-10-15-20-25 as well as Special 1, Special 2, and Special 3 for the brave of heart and teflon of stomach. Additionally, a "B Set" includes 2 pieces of a pizza toast. While the pizza is not faithful to American-style pizza, it is a delight all its own. Located at the beginning oh White Pole Road.

Try the 'Sapporro Ramen Shop' across the street from the main post office, it's small, it's old school, it's cheap and delicious with great Shoyu Chashu and of course a side of Gyoza.

At the four way facing the McDonald's make a left down the four way road and on your right you'll come across the 'Ramen Gyoza Restaurant' this place is good for more than the ramen, a full on Shokudo the Katsu Curry is one of the best dishes.

In Misawa proper if you want Hamburger steak, Tonkatsu or both Tonki, two blocks from the budokan and down the same street as cheese roll will have you covered, it's run by 2 generations of the same family and they are some of the nicest people you will meet.

All in all, Misawa is full of good restaurants, the smaller the better and avoid ones specifically geared towards the large foreign population, they're predictable.

• Cheese Rolls. This is a local favorite. One of the first restaurants most new comers are taken to. They feature Ramen, Yakisobe, beef dungaree, and of course cheese rolls. If you want quality yakisobe that is not greasy or over rushed, this is the place and don't forget the cheese rolls. Very friendly staff.

Drink

Where you can, just don't get 'X'ed out of the Japanese bars, unless you are trying to.

There are lots of good Izakaya in Misawa, both chain and local, if you want a good place with cheap beer to start off the night and lots of good drinking food, try:

• 'Tsubohachi', in the middle of town.
• The local smokey joint down the street from Tsubohachi.
• 'Murasaki', off a side road on the left hand side on the road leading to city hall (Cheapest Dai-jokki in Misawa).
• 'Tengokku', on the corner of the bar district road, good for rowdy drinking games.
• 'Paddy's' For a real pub with Guinness and other Irish brews, the Irish pub and only one far north Tohoku Irish experience, full of charm.
• 'My Place'. John is a legend and a friend to all, if you ever drank at the original you'll appreciate all the work it took to get to his new location. There is always great "PUB" food available, and John makes some awesome signature drinks! Ask for "John's Punch" and order the wife a "German Chocolate Cake Shot"!
• Holes in the wall, all over the place, the more Japanese you speak, the better the chance you'll enjoy them and more importantly get in.

Drinking in Misawa is more fun that many think, you can karaoke Enka one minute and get down in Nitrous the next, what you want is out there, you just have to have an open mind and find it.

Sleep

There are many hotels in the city center or spa.

Connect

Tourist information

• Misawa city Sightseeing Association (三沢市観光協会), 2F Lakepia 116-2858 Sabishirotai, +81 176 59 2311.
• Lake Ogawara Sightseeing center Lakepia (小川原湖観光センター レークピア), 116-2858 Sabishirotai (At Misawa Shimin no mori (citizen's forest)), 40.738445°, 141.360387°, +81 176 59 2311. 09:00-17:00.
• Misawa City Tourist Information (三沢市観光案内所), 1F skyplaza 2-8-34 chuochou (At Skyplaza Misawa), 40.685195°, 141.365068°, +81 70 5621 6010. 10:00-18:00.

Go next

• Towada-Hachimantai National Park
• Oirase
• Rokunohe
• Towada
• Shichinohe
• Rokkasho
• Tohoku
• Hachinohe
• Gonohe