# Is kissing universal? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 13, 2010, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kissing-universal/563964 "2010-12-13T10:04:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jaguars](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaguars/32/5879_2.png) [@Jaguars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaguars)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kissing-universal/563964/1 "2010-12-13T10:04:24Z")
Apologies if this has been done recently. Are (or were) there any cultures in the world that do not kiss? Thanks in advance 🙂 EDIT: Article that inspired this is: [http://youarenotsosmart.com/2009/11/05/kissing/](http://youarenotsosmart.com/2009/11/05/kissing/) ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kissing-universal/563964/2 "2010-12-13T12:03:37Z")
No. Until opening to the World, Japan had no kissing. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kissing-universal/563964/3 "2010-12-13T12:24:50Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > No. > > Until opening to the World, Japan had no kissing. Cite? I just find this difficult to accept, logistically. I mean, you’re fucking someone, your mouth is right there, and it didn’t occur to Japanese people “Hmmmm, wonder what that would be like to move my lips a few millimeters so that they’re right on his/hers…Hey, pretty sweet!!” ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kissing-universal/563964/4 "2010-12-13T15:11:04Z")
[http://www.web-books.com/Classics/ON/B0/B933/Montgomery\_GirlC18.html](http://www.web-books.com/Classics/ON/B0/B933/Montgomery_GirlC18.html) (SFW) ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kissing-universal/563964/5 "2010-12-13T18:40:04Z")
Any truth to the idea of Eskimos and nose-rubbing? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kissing-universal/563964/6 "2010-12-13T18:43:01Z")
> [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](#): > > Cite? I just find this difficult to accept, logistically. I mean, you’re fucking someone, your mouth is right there, and it didn’t occur to Japanese people “Hmmmm, wonder what that would be like to move my lips a few millimeters so that they’re right on his/hers…Hey, pretty sweet!!” If you’ve never been exposed to the idea of kissing, are you sure it would occur to you? “Hmmmm, wonder what it would be like to shove my nose into that tempting ear.” ---
**Author:** ![MarcusF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/67e7ee/32.png) [@MarcusF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarcusF)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kissing-universal/563964/7 "2010-12-13T18:46:39Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > If you’ve never been exposed to the idea of kissing, are you sure it would occur to you? “Hmmmm, wonder what it would be like to shove my nose into that tempting ear.” Uhh - you mean you don’t shove your nose in her ear? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kissing-universal/563964/8 "2010-12-13T18:50:01Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > No. > > Until opening to the World, Japan had no kissing. [1803 print of a kiss](http://www.ukiyoe-gallery.com/detail-c779.htm) ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kissing-universal/563964/9 "2010-12-13T19:02:59Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > If you’ve never been exposed to the idea of kissing, are you sure it would occur to you? “Hmmmm, wonder what it would be like to shove my nose into that tempting ear.” Bonobos figured it out. For all I know they shove noses into ears, too, but the point is you don’t need incredible intelligence for the kissing idea to occur. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kissing-universal/563964/10 "2010-12-13T19:15:53Z")
> [@bup](#): > > [1803 print of a kiss](http://www.ukiyoe-gallery.com/detail-c779.htm) They’re just sharing a fortune cookie. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kissing-universal/563964/11 "2010-12-13T20:20:57Z")
> [@bup](#): > > [1803 print of a kiss](http://www.ukiyoe-gallery.com/detail-c779.htm) Going all out with the tongue and everything! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kissing-universal/563964/12 "2010-12-13T20:32:16Z")
Form wikipedia (and it is sourced): > [@](#): > > The act of kissing has become a common expression of affection among many cultures worldwide. Yet in certain cultures, kissing was introduced only through European settlement; prior to this, kissing was not a routine occurrence. Examples of this include certain indigenous peoples of Australia, the Tahitians, and many tribes in Africa. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kissing-universal/563964/13 "2010-12-13T21:34:24Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Form wikipedia (and it is sourced): I wonder what the source says. It was from “Dyer, Tristeleton T. F. “The History of Kissing”, The American Magazine, vol. 14 1882, pp. 611–614”; couldn’t find it online. I wonder if it’s reliable? ---
**Author:** ![B.Serum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/b.serum/32/14266_2.png) [@B.Serum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/B.Serum)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kissing-universal/563964/14 "2010-12-13T21:39:27Z")
The Stuff You Should Know guys did a [podcast](http://podcasts.howstuffworks.com/hsw/podcasts/sysk/2010-11-23-sysk-kissing.mp3?_kip_ipx=668464453-1292276247) on this very recently (it’s a good listen). If I recall correctly, it’s very widespread, but not quite universal. ---
**Author:** ![Jaguars](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaguars/32/5879_2.png) [@Jaguars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaguars)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kissing-universal/563964/15 "2010-12-13T22:10:27Z")
Thanks for answering, lads and ladettes. I had a :smack: moment this morning when I opened this thread - All I had to do was think close to home where the traditional maori ‘kiss’ (Hongi) is to rub noses. **robert\_columbia** , I thought I had heard a shorter and much saucier version of that legend but it turned out that was ‘the Ring of Gyges’. I might have a look at that Podcast If my home internet stretches that far. > **[Eskimo kiss](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eskimo_kissing)** > > A kunik, known also as an Eskimo kiss, nose kiss, or nose rub, is the original term in Inuit languages for the act of pressing or rubbing the tip of one's nose against another's cheek. In non-Inuit culture, people understand this to be the act of rubbing noses together. The kunik version of the nose-kiss is found in other cultures. > When early Western explorers of the Arctic first witnessed Inuit nose rubbing as a greeting behavior, they dubbed it Eskimo kissing, despite the practice's prevalence... ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kissing-universal/563964/16 "2010-12-13T22:28:49Z")
> [@MarcusF](#): > > Uhh - you mean you don’t shove your nose in her ear? 😉 Aural sex? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kissing-universal/563964/17 "2010-12-13T22:47:28Z")
> [@Jaguars](#): > > Thanks for answering, lads and ladettes. > I had a :smack: moment this morning when I opened this thread - All I had to do was think close to home where the traditional maori ‘kiss’ (Hongi) is to rub noses. A hongi (_pressing_ noses, rather than rubbing) is more like a handshake than a kiss. ---
**Author:** ![Apollyon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/apollyon/32/4238_2.png) [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kissing-universal/563964/18 "2010-12-13T22:53:23Z")
> [@Jaguars](#): > > Thanks for answering, lads and ladettes. > I had a :smack: moment this morning when I opened this thread - All I had to do was think close to home where the traditional maori ‘kiss’ (Hongi) is to rub noses. Maybe, but the is there reason to believe that the pre-European-contact Maori didn’t also kiss? The Hongi isn’t really a kiss substitute is it? I thought its cultural place was more akin to a handshake, or bow, or… sharing salt with someone – the stranger is extended hospitality and becomes a guest. ETA: Curse you **GuanoLad**! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2010, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kissing-universal/563964/19 "2010-12-13T23:34:03Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Until opening to the World, Japan had no kissing. Before that, America didn’t have tentacle porn either. I think we made a good trade. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2010, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kissing-universal/563964/20 "2010-12-14T00:30:21Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > Aural sex? Come again, I didn’t quite hear you…