
Remember Maru, the adorable Shiba dog who’s been stealing hearts all over Japan with his million-dollar smile? Well, his popularity is well and alive, and the canine celebrity will be coming out with his very own photo book in mid-June! And to commemorate the launch of his book, an on-line photo contest is currently on way, but it’s no ordinary photo contest — it involves photos of … lovely bottoms! Not to worry, though, they’re not naughty photos by any means. The contest is actually of photos of cute animal backsides, or “puri-ketsu“, as they’re affectionately called in Japanese, and it seems the adorable “bum” pictures are pouring in. Yes, it’s the official puri-ketsu championships, and here’s a look at just some of the fun and delightful photos!
The word puri-ketsu is a combination of the Japanese words “puri-puri“, an expression which describes something juicy and plump, and “ketsu“, which is an informal way to say buttocks. The puri-ketsu photo contest will be going on until May 25. Any photo of animal buttocks is welcome (but they make it clear that pictures of human bottoms aren’t accepted) through Twitter or Instagram, and some lovely bottoms have already been put on display:
▼We just love the gorgeous shape of the bottom on this little kitty!
▼ Check out that beautiful round shape with a snowy white fluffy tail!
▼ This fella looks perfectly relaxed and content in a pretty setting.
▼Ahhh … such a lovely bushy tail.
▼ Just look at that cute short black tail!
▼ What a nice, round, furry backside! We just want to kiss it!
▼ Yes!!!! Capybara bottoms! We could look at them all day!
▼ Bottoms are adorable looked at from above too, aren’t they?
▼ Awwww … that gorgeous fur looks so soft, and the small white tail is just too cute to be real!
▼ This bottom is stylishly beautiful in black and white!
▼ We even have an unusual shot of a hedgehog bum! So that’s what a hedgehog looks like from behind.
So, wouldn’t you say these are quite a collection of attractive bums? Each day from May 19 to 25, a picture will be chosen as the “bottom of the day” and the winner will receive a photo book marked not with Maru’s autograph but his paw print! To enter the contest, all you have to do is post a picture to Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #puriketsuchampionship or #PURIKETSU.
Even if you don’t have a pet you can share a puri-ketsu picture of, it should be great fun just looking at the submitted photos. We for one, are certainly looking forward to seeing more lovely animal backsides over the course of the week. We can never have too many cute animal pictures in this world, after all, can we? Oh, and Maru’s photo book will be released June 16 and will be available from Amazon Japan for 1,080 yen (US$10.63). Congratulations again, Maru, on your new book!
Source and Top Image: Shiba Dog Maru’s Puri-ketsu Contest Japanese site and English site
Inset photos: Puriketsu Championship Stagramaker site












Adorable Shiba thinks bedtime is playtime, won’t let owner ready his futon without a (play) fight
Accessories make the dog as Shiba Inu goes from schoolgirl cute to anime hero macho
Cute Miniature Shiba Inu dog sisters from Japan never leave each other’s side
Japanese trains in Sapporo might be better than those in Tokyo, thanks to one special feature
Lawson convenience store at popular tourist site is one of the most unusual in Japan
Downtown Tokyo’s meaty monster Kaibutsu ramen will challenge your stomach, thrill your taste buds
Chinese Disney fans worry that an upcoming Pixar short film will be banned from theaters
Disney princesses re-imagined as Indian brides! Which gorgeous gown is your favourite?
Disney young adult novels get new beautiful shojo anime-style covers for Japan
Star Wars stormtroopers don Gundam armor in fan’s awesome crossover models 【Videos/Photos】
Travel to a Japanese convenience store at an active volcano
Drunk Japanese woman found sleeping in street by 86-year-old man who comes to her rescue
Hayao Miyazaki gifts autographed Ghibli anime cel to president of France[Photo]
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Mt. Fuji decorated with a 500,000-flower pink carpet is Japan’s ultimate spring view
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Starbucks Japan closing only Shinkansen platform branch for popularity-triggered renovations
You can assemble a well-balanced team of Pokémon, them eat them, thanks to Japanese cake chain
30 Pikachus want to share a Tokyo hotel room with you that has separate Grass, Water, Fire spaces
Man bites woman at cherry blossom park in Japan, dies shortly after
7-Eleven Japan’s new baked-in-store sweet treat is only available in three parts of the country
Peanuts and Coke becomes a viral hit in Japan, but is it a trend worth joining?
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says