A phosphor (A) comprising a host material composed of a compound having a garnet crystal structure represented by the general formula (I): M1aM2bM3cOd   (I) (wherein M1 is a divalent metal element, M2 is a trivalent metal element, M3 is a tetravalent metal element containing at least Si, a is the number of 2.7 to 3.3, b is the number of 1.8 to 2.2, c is the number of 2.7 to 3.3, and d is the number of 11.0 to 13.0), and a luminescent center ion incorporated in the host material; a light emitting device (B) comprising the phosphor as a wavelength conversion material and a semiconductor light emitting element capable of emitting a light in the range of from ultraviolet light to visible light; and a display (C) and a lighting system (D) using the light emitting device (B) as a light source. The above phosphor can be readily produced, and can provide a light emitting device having a high color rendering property.