An optical recording and reading method capable of enhancing the design flexibility of recording layers of an optical recording medium and performing accurate optical recording and reading operations. The optical recording and reading method is one for recording and reading an optical recording medium having three or more recording layers by irradiating the same with laser light using an optical recording and reading apparatus. When an optical recording medium is mounted on the optical recording and reading apparatus, the positions of the recording layers of the optical recording medium are measured using the laser light.