Think of Japan and one of the first images you're likely to conjure up is that of the bullet train speeding past snow-capped Mt Fuji. For many, what lies beyond the frame of this image is a mystery. But step inside the picture, hop on board that train and you'll quickly discover the true scope and variety of what the country has to offer. The fascination of Japan lies in its diversity: remote mountain villages contrast with huge neon-lit cities that never sleep; the vast natural landscape of unspoilt forests, volcanoes and hot springs more than compensate for the occasional man-made eyesore; the silent oasis of a Shinto shrine or a Buddhist temple is not far from the deafening noise of a virtual-reality games arcade. Nowhere else in the world do past and present co-exist in such close proximity as in this relatively small country.

The ideal way of seeing it all is by rail, whether it's on one of the world-famous bullet trains (shinkansen) or on the wide network of local or express trains, or even on one of the many steam trains. A turn of the century guide advises visitors to 'make travel plans as simple as possible. The conditions of travel in this country do not lend themselves to intricate arrangements'. Today, however, nothing could be further from the truth. Trains run not just to the minute but to the second, so itineraries can be as complicated or minutely timetabled as you wish. Or you can simply turn up at the station and plan your journey as you go. Most Japanese travel by train, so it's the ideal way to meet the people and find out what life is really like for at least some of the 127 million who live here.The real secret to touring the country is the Japan Rail Pass, deservedly recognized as the 'bargain of the century'. Rail-pass holders can travel easily almost anywhere on the four main islands over a network that stretches for 20,000km. Take advantage of the freedom it confers to explore on and off the beaten track beyond the Tokyo metropolis and the tourist capital of Kyoto.

Japan can be expensive but, apart from your rail pass, you can cut costs even more by staying in youth hostels or in B&Bs (minshuku). Ryokan (upmar-ket B&Bs) are also good value and welcoming but if you prefer and can afford it there are world-class five-star hotels throughout the country. Unexpected pleasures also await the traveller: where else can you enjoy a massage while hurtling along at 300kph on a shinkansen, buy cans of hot coffee from a vending machine at the top of a mountain and take a crash course in Zen meditation inside a temple, all in the space of a week? It's said that no gai-jin (outsider) can ever fully know Japan but only by visiting and seeing for yourself can you discover what the country is really like: somewhere between the images of traditional past and high-tech future which flicker worldwide on the small screen.