Hamuketsu is Japanese for hamster butts. Yes, Japan has its own word for the backside of a small house pet in the rodent family. It will all make sense when you study the cuteness of their furry little rears.
Japanese hamster fans coined the term, which combines the Japanese words for "hamster" and "butt." Almost 40,000 copies of two photo books about hamster rumps have already been sold in the country, and a third is coming out at the end of this month.
There's also a Facebook page devoted entirely to the furry backsides, run by publisher Basilico Co.
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The books were released by two different publishers, Sekai Bunka Publishing, Inc. and Basilico. Both are filled with pictures of hamster bottoms of all shapes and sizes. A representative from Sekai Bunka Publishing, Inc. told The Wall Street Journal that male butts are preferred, as they are bigger and rounder.
The appeal of the hamster butt is fairly obvious, according to a representative from Basilico. “The great thing about hamuketsu is that it is delightfully cute. I can’t stop smiling when I see these butts,” he said.
#ハムケツ4月17日発売です。 Amazonで予約受付中です（≧∇≦） ハムちゃんも載ってます\(//∇//) pic.twitter.com/RDXnfRulPK— hamuん♪ (@hamakiyo2912) March 29, 2014
Amazon describes one of the bum-filled books as: "Why so cute big boom! Net, in SNS!? Mind is healed unwind, deep river buttocks Photos of hamster now!" (Rough Google translation.)
Deep river buttocks indeed.
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