Golden Week

I've been looking through the forums here, and every other answer about Golden Week seems to say something different.

1. On days that are NOT one of the four holidays, will Shinkansen or regular train use be difficult?

2. Because two of the four holidays fall on the weekend in 2008, does that mean things will not be as busy? (I've heard that.)

3. Do the tourist spots in Kyoto get as busy during this time?

4. It may be crowded, but is it unpleasant?

5. Will certain places in Tokyo be empty--i.e. boring?

6. Is Tokyo usually busy or empty immediately BEFORE Golden Week?

I'm near panic about this. I didn't know we would be traveling at this time when the flight was first booked. I don't know if I can change my flight and hotel reservations at this point.

On days that are NOT one of the four holidays, will Shinkansen or regular train use be difficult?

The main shinkansen routes are really difficult to use only in the beginning and in the end of the Golden Week, and mainly only in one specific direction. Some details are mentioned on the following page:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2282.html

On the other days, the situation is considerably less extreme. But certain train routes can also be very busy during the rest of the Golden Week, depending on special events held on certain days. It is difficult to predict and summarize everything.

Holiday traffic tends to be relatively calm on the non-holiday days during Golden Week.

Because two of the four holidays fall on the weekend in 2008, does that mean things will not be as busy?

For most people, Golden Week 2008 will be little more than a regular long weekend (3 day holiday). It will be busy, but not as busy as usual.

Do the tourist spots in Kyoto get as busy during this time?

Yes, Kyoto is among the popular tourist destinations.

It may be crowded, but is it unpleasant?

If you get on board of crowded trains or buses, it can be unpleasant. Whether you can enjoy crowded tourist sights, depends on the specific sight and individual person. Some people like it busy, while others prefer it to be calm.

Will certain places in Tokyo be empty--i.e. boring?

The business districts.

Is Tokyo usually busy or empty immediately BEFORE Golden Week?

On the evening before the Golden Week, people start traveling home, and trains going out of Tokyo will be even busier than they are on regular weekday evenings. During the last day before Golden Week itself, there won't be much difference to a regular day.

I'm near panic about this. I didn't know we would be traveling at this time when the flight was first booked.

No need for panic, especially since this year's Golden Week can be expected to be relatively short and calm.