The Asian Confluence will be a co host the 2018 edition of the Cherry blossom festival along with the Indian Council for Cultural relations and the government of Meghalaya. Following the recent visit of the Japanese ambassador to Shillong in which he delivered at public lecture at the Asian Confluence and planted a Japanese cheery plant “Sakura” at the Raj Bhavan Shillong gifted by the Japan chapter the Asian Confluence, the Cherry Blossom festival 2018 will feature a substantial involvement of Japanese art, food and music .

"Japan, through its development agency JICA has been involved in infrastructure development work in the region for a long time. However we feel the space of culture and promoting more people to people ties between India and Japan needs to be further explored. We are really keen that the Cherry Blossom festival will provide an opportunity for that" said Sabyasachi Dutta, Executive Director, Asian Confluence.