Comments on: Hunky-dory

By: frank

frank — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 04:23:39 +0000

In 1956 my Cultural Anthropology professor told the “Yokohama” story as truth, with a little embellishment: As sailors left their ships for a night on the town, they were required to state their destination, for practical reasons. When the hundreds went past the recipient of the advice, the constant repetition of “Honcho Dori” became tiresome for all parties, and eventually it became customary for the earlier debarkers to say, “Looks like everything is Hunky Dory” and save all the subsequent passers the trouble of speaking out with what was likely inevitable. Might be fantasy, but I like it.

By: Marco Garci

Marco Garci — Thu, 13 Aug 2020 23:41:45 +0000

Before the internet I heard the story (probably urban legend) that Hunky Dory was the name of a port section of British-controlled China that was so full of crime and kidnapping that the Brits stationed long-term a bunch of military police, which made the place so safe that whenever someone asked how things are going the reply would be, just hunky-dori.

By: Kamis A. Rahman

Kamis A. Rahman — Wed, 08 Jul 2020 23:59:54 +0000

My first encounter with hunky dory was in 1973 when I was 19. I was strolling through a mall when I spotted this shop selling all those groovy posters and t-shirts, and on one of those was printed the words hunky dory. I thought, it’s just some fancy words to decorate the t-shirt. Years later I saw it again, in a magazine and so I thought, hmmm, hunky dory could mean something. And sure enough, I found its meaning, but still didn’t know its origins, until now. Thank you.

By: Chris

Chris — Wed, 01 Apr 2020 02:32:55 +0000

This came up today, found your site, plot thickens as I located a Hunk E Dore, from the cartoons and comedy in 1830s. Happy hunting

By: Nancy olexick

Nancy olexick — Wed, 18 Mar 2020 16:36:45 +0000

I use this phrase all the time and even have a metal sign of it in the kitchen. I am 71. Grandpa used it often.

By: Howard Shakespeare

Howard Shakespeare — Tue, 17 Apr 2018 23:30:10 +0000

When I lived in Japan I was told that the saying originated from Yokohama as mentioned. The only difference was that sailors would become hopelessly lost in Yokohama. But as soon as they cane across Honcho Dori they knew where they were. All was fine, so Hunky Dori!