Love is Not Love

In English, Love is Love.

In Japanese, Love isn’t Love.

Love in Japanese is →
Koi,
Ai,
Shin-Ai,
Yu-Ai,
Kazoku-Ai

And we choose one of them according to the situation, the counterpart, and the feeling.

Koi is for affection.
If you are in Koi, you want the same Koi back.

Ai is the closest to what you call love in Christian meaning.
We rarely use the word, in our daily lives, I don’t know why.
It may sound too real, too philosophical maybe.

Shin-Ai is for trusting love.

Yu-Ai is for friendship love.

Kazoku-Ai is for family love.

All are used in literature or in writing only, and we rarely say them.

Keep the inner feeling secret is the virtue of a Japanese.

… … which I don’t love.