The Fujisan Sengen Shrine is located in Fujinomiya City and was built over 1000 years ago. The shrine was built as a protection from volcanic eruptions and became the head shrine of all Sengen and Asama shrines in Japan. The current buildings were constructed in the early Edo Period (1603-1867) by Tokugawa Ieyasu. Many of the original buildings were destroyed and the Inner Shrine, Outer Shrine, and Tower Gate are all that remains. There are 500 cherry blossom trees around the grounds and most of them line the Sakuranobaba. The Sakuranobaba is a path used for the famed horseback archery (Yabusame) contest, which is annually held on May 5. When the climbing season for Mount Fuji begins and ends, large ceremonies are held at the shrine to commemorate the occasion. It is possible to start your climb from the shrine, but much of the traditional path to the summit no longer exists.
