What is the purpose of the Sengen shrines connected with Mount Fuji?

The Sengen (or Asama) shrine network is dedicated to the goddess Konohanasakuya-hime, who is associated with Mount Fuji in Shintō tradition. These shrines serve two primary purposes:1

• Centers of Worship: They act as focal points for religious devotion, where pilgrims have historically gathered to venerate the sacred mountain.12
• Placation: The shrines were established to appease the volcano’s destructive power, reflecting the historical recognition of the mountain's volatile nature.1

Over time, these sites became integral to the development of pilgrimage routes along the mountain's slopes, with the Sengen Shrine in Fujinomiya serving as the main shrine for the worship of Mount Fuji since the 9th century.12