Most people who visit Kuroshima probably wonder why an island with a population of only 500 people has such an elaborate church. In fact, the answer is simple. By the closing years of the Meiji period, there were 2,000 Christians living on the island. The head carpenter who Father Marmand picked to build Kuroshima church was a man named Maeyama Sakichi from Nagasaki. Another of the carpenters who joined in was Emoto Shouichi from Uku island in the Goto islands. Mr. Emoto was a Buddhist but, while renovating houses on Kuroshima he had been very moved by the islanders’ deep religious faith, and had decided to settle down there. During the two years when he worked on Kuroshima church, he became increasingly drawn to the world of prayer. On the day of Kuroshima church’s dedication, he fell in love at first sight with a young lady who was regarded as the most beautiful lady on the entire island at the time. After a short while, they got married. After that, Mr. Emoto helped build other churches including Houki Church and Old Himosashi Church (both on Hirado). The latter of these two churches was later dismantled and reconstructed in Karatsu-shi, Saga, becoming Madarajima Church.