A method of extracting the contents from the inside of a reactor kept at high temperature and high pressure includes the steps of introducing the contents of the reactor into a pipe having an internal space which communicates with the reactor, closing the pipe to enclose the contents in the internal space, removing unnecessary gas from the internal space, and supplying an inert gas to the internal space, thereby replacing the contents enclosed in the internal space with the inert gas. The contents are discharged from the internal space by replacing the contents enclosed in the internal space with the inert gas.