How to Say "Starbucks" in Japanese

Sutabakkusu. That is Starbucks in Japanese. Ok, fine, I admit that I am not only a coffee drinker, but a Starbucks lover. Yesterday after I dropped my son off at school and was on my way to hit up the commissary I realized I had forgotten to brew and bring my coffee. With out my morning cup(s) I get pretty cranky, not to mention the onset of the dreaded caffeine headache in the afternoon if I don't have my daily joe. So I diverted from the quickest route between preschool and the commissary to stop at the drive thru Starbucks.

After placing my order and nearly vibrating with anticipation, I sighed with relief as the first sip of life renewing elixir hit my tongue. Then I had a terrible, awful, horrifying thought. In all my excitement to move to Japan (the land of green tea) I had completely and inexplicably forgotten about my love affair with Starbucks.

I'm going to have to give it up! But it's gonna be ok. I can do it. It's a small price to pay for getting to live abroad, and it's only for 4 years. 

I don't know about the commissaries over there, but I do know that every single commissary I've ever been in in the states has had a wide and fairly impressive variety of home brew coffee that comes in either whole bean or pre-ground form. So I know I obviously will not do without. It's just that Starbucks is my vice. Pathetic. I know.

Today I actually sat down and googled "Starbucks Okinawa Japan" and much to my surprise, several responses appeared on the map! After further investigation of the pinpoints I knew it was true.

Oh my god! They have STARBUCKS over there! 

I did a quick and silent prayer of thanks that in the midst of a foreign and unfamiliar land where I will be away from everything I have ever known, I will be able to find that little bit of the familiar. Certainly there will be slight differences. The menu will of course be in Japanese and hopefully English too, but it will smell the same, taste the same, and if I get homesick I can close my eyes breathe it all in and make believe I'm home.