There is provided a light diffusing element, which has a high haze value and strong diffusibility, has backscattering suppressed, and is low in cost and excellent in productivity.A light diffusing element of the present invention includes: a matrix containing a resin component and an ultrafine particle component; and light diffusing fine particles dispersed in the matrix, wherein: refractive indices of the resin component, the ultrafine particle component, and the light diffusing fine particles satisfy the below-indicated expression (1); and the light diffusing element comprises a concentration adjusted area, which is formed in an outer portion of a vicinity of a surface of each of the light diffusing fine particles, and in which a weight concentration of the resin component decreases and a weight concentration of the ultrafine particle component increases with increasing distance from the light diffusing fine particles: |nP−nA|