Hotels Sold Out? Golden Week and/or Too Early? Japan

I am doing research for my 2018 cruise in April and have a couple of hotel questions. Sorry if this has been discussed already but couldn't seem to find what I was looking for.

Do the hotel sites block out and reflect hotels as sold out? I have tried booking.com and Travelocity to research hotels and prices in Yokohama for 4/17-4/20 in 2018 and both sites reflect sold out for almost all hotels that are in my budget range. I thought they open booking 365 days out? Should I be waiting for 6 months out?

My parents are in their 80s and don't want to stay in Tokyo hence keeping to Yokohama. If the computer shows sold out, do you think calling makes a difference?

For those who have been to the Shin-Yokohama area - time wise and transportation wise, how far is that from the Pier? On the map it looks close but then I am a poor judge of distance.

Thank you.

Japanese hotels (and domestic airlines) don't open reservations until 3-6 months before. You might be able to book further ahead with an international chain using their own website. For example, you can book the Yokohama Intercontinental a year out on the IHG (Holiday Inn) website. The rates are high, though, and will become cheaper nearer the time so don't lock yourself in with a nonrefundable rate. The Intercontinental is fairly near the cruise port.

There are two big train stations in Yokohama: Shin-Yokohama is where the bullet trains stop. It's rather far from anywhere. Yokohama is the regular station. The Narita Express stops there and also the buses from Haneda and the local trains into Tokyo. It's a less than $20 taxi from there to the cruise port.

By the way, Golden Week 2018 is the end of April/beginning of May. People leave the big cities so hotels in Tokyo or Yokohama won't be super busy then.

Perfect! Thank you for the response. Good to know about Shin-Yokohama. I think I may be able to get them to do a Tokyo with narita express to yokohama then taxi if all else fails.

Appreciate the information and tip...and won't panic yet.

Thank you