Things I learned in Japan: "double eyelids"

I was in Japan absolutely years, before I ever heard the expression "hitoe", which means single eyelid. I believe it's called "monolid" in English, but I am certainly no expert. It was after I started a play group in Kawagoe and one of the mothers used to go on and on, each week, about how lucky I was that my children have "futae". A "futae" eyelid is "double eyelids"; they have a crease above the lash line, the "hitoe" doesn't. 

I didn't even know what "futae" was and even when my husband explained it to me, I didn't really understand. I couldn't see it. I couldn't tell the difference between a person with a single eyelid and a person with a double eyelid. I can now, if I make an effort, but I've no interest. To be perfectly honest, all eyes are beautiful whether they have "futae" or not. But unfortunately, not everyone feels that way.

What got me thinking about any of this is that today is Double Eyelid Day (二重の日), The reason is that 2/10 can be read as "futae". No surprise that a company that produces a double eyelid make up product created the day! Had you heard of double / single eyelids before you came to Japan?