Disclosed is a white light emitting device including a semiconductor light emitting element configured to emit near ultraviolet light having a peak wavelength ranging from 380 to 410 nm, a first phosphor layer and a second phosphor layer. The first phosphor layer contains a blue-emitting phosphor configured to emit blue light by the near ultraviolet light, and a red-emitting phosphor activated by trivalent europium and configured to emit red light by the near ultraviolet light. The second phosphor layer contains a green-emitting phosphor configured to emit green light by the near ultraviolet light. The semiconductor light emitting element, the first phosphor layer and the second phosphor layer are laminated in this order to emit white light.