A negative electrode for a nonaqueous electrolyte secondary battery which occludes/discharges lithium ions reversibly comprises a current collector (11) having a recess (12) and a protrusion (13) formed at least on one side, and a columnar body (15) having such a configuration that columnar body portions formed to stand obliquely on the protrusion (13) of the current collector (11) with the content ratio of elements varying sequentially in the longitudinal direction of the current collector (11) are laminated in n stages (n>=2) with the varying direction of content ratio of elements differingbetween the odd stage and even stage of the columnar body portion, wherein three surfaces (13a, 13b, 13c) at the longitudinal cross-section of at least the protrusion (13) is covered with the columnar body portion.