It’s generally agreed that few members of the animal kingdom can quite match the level of cuteness offered by the humble otter. Watching those little guys floating on their backs and eating off their tummies makes you just want to snatch them up from the water and take them home.

Well, now Keikyu Aburatsubo Marine Park is still not letting you do that, but they are giving you the next best thing without violating poaching laws. From now until 13 September, you can get a little touchy feeling with their otters by letting them grab your finger.

These otters are Asian small-clawed otters which are the smallest (therefore cutest) in the world. In the exhibit called “Otter Finger Touch, Fish Catch” holes are installed into the otter’s habitat’s glass. By holding out the great scent of Wakasagi Smelt you can entice an otter to the glass were it will reach out through the hole and grab your finger. It’s like visiting the cutest prison or off-track betting parlor in the universe!

The otter touching experience runs from 11:50 on weekdays and 12:40 on the weekend and public holidays, but the park recommends that you make an appointment or they can’t guarantee you’ll get to feel the otters. Attending costs only 500 yen (US$5).

So what are you waiting for? These otters aren’t going to sit around all day touching themselves, that’s what monkeys do. Go on down and shake hands with an otter today!

…Or tomorrow, because you got to make an appointment first.

UPDATE: Overwhelmed by teh cute, we sent our reporter down to the Marine Park for a hands-on. It blew her mind.

Information
Keikyu Aburatsubo Marine Park – Kawau No Mori Gakubu
1082 Koajiro, Misaki, Miura, Kanagawa
046-881-6281
Otter Finger Touch, Fish Catch from 13 July to 13 Sept, 2013
Open every day from 11:50 on weekdays and 12:40 on weekends and holidays
Admission: 500 yen
Maximum Number of People: 10

Source: Keikyu Aburatsubo Marine Park via Colocal (Japanese)
Video: YouTube – KeikyuCorporation

▼ A video from Keikyu Aburatsubo showing baby otters being raised