Refers specifically to the species Periplaneta japonica, a common cockroach native to Japan. Often distinguished from the German cockroach (チャバネゴキブリ) and the smokybrown cockroach (クロゴキブリ).
The smokybrown cockroach (Periplaneta fuliginosa), another common large cockroach in Japan, darker and more uniformly colored.
Etymology
ヤマト (Yamato, an ancient name for Japan) + ゴキブリ (cockroach). The exact origin of ゴキブリ is uncertain, but it may derive from 御器噛り (goki-kaburi, 'bowl-biter') or a similar phrase.
