A method for manufacturing a honeycomb structured body including molding ceramic raw material to form a pillar-shaped honeycomb molded body having a multiplicity of cells disposed in parallel with one another in the longitudinal direction with a cell wall therebetween, and filling in either one of the end portions of each of the cells with a plug material paste, and firing the honeycomb molded body to manufacture a honeycomb structured body comprising a honeycomb fired body, wherein after having filled in either one of the end portions of each of the cells of the honeycomb molded body with the plug material paste, a plug material paste drying process to dry the plug material paste is conducted by blowing hot air to an end face of the honeycomb molded body using a hot air drying apparatus.