In ancient times, there was a highway used for pilgrimage from the vicinity of Temma in Chuo Ward, Osaka City, to the Kumano Sanzan (Kumano Hongu Taisha, Kumano Hayatama Taisha, Kumano Nachi Taisha). From ancient times to the Middle Ages, many imperial family members, nobles, and samurai began to pilgrimage to Kumano Taisha along this highway. This highway, which had been called the “Nankaido” until then, eventually came to be called the “Kumano Kaido.” And “Shindachi-shuku” was the most prosperous post town along the Kumano Kaido in the southern part of Izumi. Even after entering the Edo period, it was called the “Kishu Kaido,” and it prospered as the first post town when the Kishu domain lord traveled to Edo for Sankin-kotai (alternate attendance). Eventually, with the advent of the Meiji era, Sankin-kotai declined, and even pilgrimages to Kumano fell out of favor due to the anti-Buddhist movements. Few people knew about “Shindachi-shuku” anymore. About 40 years ago, Masahiro Kajimoto, the head of the Kajimoto family who ran an inn in Shindachi during the Edo period while trading oils, planted a single wisteria in his garden. The wisteria, nurtured with great care, spread its vines in all directions over the course of 40 years, growing into a large tree with over 40,000 flower clusters. When the wisteria flowers begin to bloom, the fragrant scent of wisteria fills the air, and honeybees buzz around collecting nectar. During the peak wisteria viewing season in mid to late April, the “Kumano Kaido Shindachi-shuku Wisteria Festival” is held for about a week, bustling with more flower viewers than honeybees.
その昔、現在の大阪市中央区天満付近から熊野三山(熊野本宮大社、熊野速玉大社、熊野那智大社)への参詣に利用された街道がありました。古代から中世にかけて、たくさんの皇族や貴族、武士たちが、この街道を通って熊野大社へ参詣するようになります。それまで「南海道」と呼ばれいていたこの街道は、やがて「熊野街道」と呼ばれるようになりました。そして、「信達宿」は、和泉南部で最も栄えた熊野街道沿いの宿場町でした。江戸時代に入ってからも「紀州街道」と呼ばれ、紀州公が参勤交代で江戸に向かった折の最初の宿場として栄えました。やがて明治時代に入ると、参勤交代はもちろん、廃仏毀釈のあおりで熊野詣でも廃り、「信達宿」を知る人もほとんどなくなりました。今から40ほど前に、江戸時代にこの信達で旅籠をしながら油類を商っていた梶本家の当主梶本昌弘さんが一本の野田藤を庭に植えました。丹精込めて育てた1本の野田藤は、40年の歳月をかけて四方八方に蔓を伸ばし、今やなんと花房4万を超える大樹に育ちました。藤の花が咲き始めると、周囲に芳ばしい藤の芳香が漂い、熊蜂が蜜を集めに飛び回ります。4月中旬から下旬の藤の見頃には、一週間程度「熊野街道信達宿のふじまつり」が開催され、熊蜂よりも多くの花見客で賑わいます。