Atera Seven Falls, Cascading waterfall system in Shinshiro, Japan

Atera Seven Falls is a series of seven natural waterfalls along the Atera River, near Shinshiro in Japan. The water drops over conglomerate rock formed by fault scarps, creating a chain of stone tiers that follow one another down the riverbed.

In 1934, the Japanese government designated this waterfall system as both a Place of Scenic Beauty and a Natural Monument. This recognition placed the site under formal protection and drew wider attention to its geological character.

The conglomerate rock at the falls is called kobukaiishi (子抱石), "child-embracing stone"; worshipping it is said to bring children. The dragon deity of the falls is prayed to for rain, and a well said to have been used by the young onmyōji Abe no Seimei during his training still stands.

From the dedicated car park, a walk of about 15 minutes leads to the falls. By public transport, take the S-bus Akiba-Nanataki line from JR Iida Line Motochōshō or Mikawa-Ōno Station to the Nanatakiguchi stop, then walk about 15 minutes. By car, follow Aichi Route 442 for about 6.4 km from the Meiji Bridge West intersection; the car park is on the left.

At the fifth fall, moving water has carved a natural pool roughly 7 meters deep into the rock below. This shows how water alone can hollow out hard stone when it strikes the same spot over a long period of time.