A metal halide lamp including a discharge tube of a transparent ceramic in which a discharge metal and a buffer gas are sealed, the discharge tube having electrodes at both ends thereof, including a discharge portion, slender tube portions provided at both ends of the discharge portion, into which feedthroughs including the electrodes and lead-in wires are inserted, and slender tube sealing portions in which gaps between the slender tube portions and the feedthroughs are sealed with a sealing material, an outer tube containing the discharge tube, and a transparent protecting cylinder provided inside the outer tube so as to surround the discharge tube is provided. At least one of the slender tube sealing portions is exposed beyond the protecting cylinder. This provides a metal halide lamp that suppresses leaks in a discharge tube sealing portion while maintaining high efficiency and high color rendition by using a ceramic discharge tube, and that is tolerant of an external shock.