To provide a friction damper with simple construction having characteristics that there is little difference in resistance forces between at initial shock and after slide, and it is difficult to deform slide member under large fastening force, and large frictional force can stably be generated. The friction damper 1 comprising: a cylinder box 2; a cylinder member 6 axially fixed in the cylinder box; a slide bearing 7 press-fitted into an inner peripheral surface of the cylinder member; and a shaft 3 made of metal, the shaft being axially slidably press-fitted into an inner peripheral surface of the slide bearing; wherein when the cylinder box and the shaft move axially in relation to each other, an outer peripheral surface of the shaft and the inner peripheral surface of the slide bearing frictionally slide in relation to each other to absorb vibration energy. When the friction damper of the present invention is mounted to an intermediate portion or an end portion of a structural member of a building structure such that the cylinder box and the shaft relatively axially movable with each other, and repeated tensile and compressive forces are added to the structural member of the building structure due to earthquake or the like, the inner peripheral surface of the slide bearing press-fitted into the cylinder member and the outer peripheral surface of the shaft frictionally slide with each other to absorb vibration energy.