Forget going to Japan in cherry blossom season for hanami, the traditional custom of flower viewing. The new Instagram-inspired Asian floral tourism trend is Sydney in jacaranda season when the purple-blue hue descends for a few weeks and makes McDougall Street, Kirribilli, the most photographed floral archway in the city.

Thanks to a host of hashtags, Destination NSW dollars and advice from websites such as TripAdvisor, tourists from all over the world are transforming this quiet backstreet into selfie-city.

Tissue Huang, from the eastern-central China coastal province of Jiangsu, donned purple lipstick and came to the street with friends and a tripod after seeing it on Instagram last year. Donna Chu, from Manila in the Philippines who came with her mother Belen to see the lilac arch, wore a purple scarf to match the flowers.

“It’s becoming one of the most popular things to see in Sydney like Taronga Zoo,” said Ms Chu, who is visiting Sydney for a few days for a conference.