Are cockroaches common in Sapporo?

I'm currently staying in a hostel in Sapporo. This morning, as I was getting ready for the day, I saw a cockroach. This freaked me out a bit, and I told the person there who was apologetic, and then proceeded to go do something in the room for about ten minutes before returning. The reviews of this hostel on all websites have never mentioned cockroaches, and almost all talk about the cleanliness of the accomodation.

What worries me is whether or not this is a sign that there's an infestation here. In my experience, I live in a place with few cockroaches so am very worried about seeing even one. However, on my research on Google, it says Japan has many cockroaches, so I thought maybe one isn't such a big deal. But then it says they are rare in Hokkaido, which makes me nervous again that this hostel may not be clean/safe.

I don't really know what to do now, I am very nervous to go to sleep today, and I would change accomodation but everywhere is booked for the snow festival so even the cheapest accomodation would be far out of my budget. I need advice from people who know more about Japan than me, how common is it to see a cockroach in Sapporo? How likely is it that there's an infestation here?

Thank you for advice or help

I have heard that in recent years they’ve found their way into Hokkaido – in parcel/cargo boxes or in construction materials. One thing to note, while these insects can look scary, in Japan it doesn’t mean that the place is unclean/unsanitary. They find warm places (nowadays some indoor locations do stay above 20 degrees C throughout the year – that is the temp range they thrive) and they stay there. We live in Tokyo, maybe I see 1 in a year, I scream because I don’t like them, but we never fumigate the place or anything like that. No worries.

Cockroaches in Hokkaido in winter?
Basically, Hokkaido is so cold that even cockroaches cannot survive here. Compared to other areas of Japan, the number of cockroaches in Hokkaido is very low. Cockroaches are very rare in Hokkaido, so that many residents who grew up in Hokkaido have never seen a real cockroach before, and some of them really doesn't know that what is a real cockroach look like.
these days it is very cold there, then how it is possible that cockroach can survive in that cold temperature.
Maybe the hostel you are living in is very old and dirty that cockroach can survive there.
but really it is unbelievable to see a cockroach in such a cold and snowy winter.
you would better ask the staff there to check your room and spray on cockroaches to kill them.

@MD

It is very cold outside, but it is very warm in the hostel, almost too hot in here. It's weird, because the building is only a few years old and seems clean, so it is not old and dirty like you would have guessed.

@AK

I hope you are correct, and that it is only one of them. Thank you for the information

Clean places can have insects (or worse) - they get in through tiny spaces or gaps. As it is so cold, the building heating might allow some to survive the winter.
Is evidence of one evidence of hundreds, no. Normally I would get one a year during summer in my apartment, but mostly they live outside. Two years ago I had more than usual, so simply got some roach bait and killed them all off. If you are worried, pick up a pack and stick them around the room, they will be gone very quickly.

Quite likely the cockroach hitched a ride in a backpack with food …..? And came out looking for more when the food runs out.

Cockroaches are common in Japan, as in many other countries. It really depends on accommodation. Some accommodations are cleaned everyday and sanitized every month to prevent spread of insects. However, most of accommodations including old apartments, hostels, and etc. they just do not sanitize and do not care about it a lot: They think only about their business and profit. So, you just arrived to Japan, then I would suggest to check with owners of apartments and say your conditions, so that if there will be any coackroach, they will take care of killing them. Your hostel is pretty good that they took care, most of accommodations do not care believe me.