Jackie from Travel Nation takes in Tokyo on her multi-stop trip

I arrived in Japan with my Japanese Rail Pass and a sense of excitement, I was ready to explore Tokyo, was it the most modern of all cities?

Tokyo is certainly a city that has embraced the 21st Century, every gadget imaginable is available behind the bright lights of the consumer wonderland that is my first impression of Tokyo as I set foot into the big city. It is easy to feel overwhelmed wandering around the streets of Tokyo, with more neon than I have ever seen and more people than sometimes seems feasible in one place, but behind the masses, the noise and the lights and the chaos there is still a lot of traditional Japan to discover.

My hotel was in the suburb of Ueno with a beautiful Park surrounded by museums and Shrines and an old market under the train tracks selling much more traditional wares than the big departments stores.

I arrived in September just in time for one of the Grand Sumo Tournaments, what a side to behold giant men in large nappies with their legion of tiny girl fans fans screaming hysterically waiting for their favourite to arrive. I managed to get a ticket for the semi final and although I never quite worked out what was going on it was certainly a sight to behold, the favorite won and everyone went crazy, an unexpected highlight. If you are in Tokyo for a Sumo contest I can highly recommend it.

Other highlights include:

The Tshkuji Fish Market - lot's Tuna being thrown around and you get to eat the freshest Sushi you will ever taste - yum.

Harajuku – (Yoyogi Park ) if you want to see a Rockabilly dance off this is the place to go – especially on Sunday mornings, lot’s of crazy behaviour and afterwards you can pop into the Meiji Shrine for calmer moment….

Ginza - for a bit of up market shopping glamour and you can get your lunch in the gigantic food halls and eat it on the roof amongst the bonsai trees, you can also have your most high tech toilet experience ever!

Roppongi - this is definitely bright lights big city and if you are looking for nightlife this is a good place to start.

Toyko Bay - There is a monorail that goes out the bay which has some pretty impressive architecture and reminds you that you are actually very close the the water.

The Imperial Palace - Right in the middle of the city you can stroll around or you can hire a bike for free and cycle around the beautifully manicured Gardens, the East Gardens are the most impressive.

Curious observation - Most bicycles in Japan have baskets. There seems to be an understanding that if someone happens to deposit some litter in to the basket of a parked bike, that the status of this basket changes and everyone else suddenly feels free to use it as a convenient litter bin, while nearby parked bike baskets are respected.

Top tip -The Japan Rail Pass is valid on The Yamanote Line. The Yamanote Line is probably the most useful. It's a circle line linking all of Tokyo's major districts - Shinjuku, Harajuku, Shibuya, Tokyo Station, Akihabara, Ueno and Ikebukero. If you want to save your Japan Rail Pass until you venture out into the rest of Japan you can by a Pasmo Card, you decide how much money you want to put and it saves you having to deal with cash on every journey.

After 5 days in Toyko I decided it was the most modern of cities but behind it traditional old Tokyo can be found too. After one last visit to my favourite Sushi train I was ready for the Bullet Train to see a bit more of Japan.......