golden week 2011

Will japanese take their golden week holidays longer than Thusday May 5, 2011?

School children and a majority of company workers will not be able to "make the bridge" and will have to go back to school/work on the 6th.

So it will be no different arriving Tokyo May 5 or 7, am I correct?

What are you worried about?

The worst in domestic transportation can be expected to be over by the 5th. The "return rush" of oversea travelers will probably be on the weekend of the 7/8th, but it just means that the airport is busier than usual. Nothing too extreme I think.

As for hotels in Tokyo, I think there will be lots of vacant rooms during Golden Week.

Or is it something else you are worried about?

I am going to Japan in April 2011. If I leave Japan on 28 April will I miss the Golden Week rush in terms of hotel bookings and flight bookings. Or does the rush start before the 29th April?

It is explained here:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2282.html

The rush starts a little bit on the evening of the 28th and fully on April 29th. However, since it is only going to be a 3-day weekend, the traffic congestion can be expected to be bad but not extreme. Generally, this year the traffic congestion should not be too extreme due to the unfavorably placed weekends.

You won't feel anything of the Golden Week before the evening of the 28th.

As for hotel/ryokan rates, it depends on each facility. Many don't increase rates, at all. Others raise them for the entire Golden Week period, while still others raise them just for particular days within the Golden Week.