According to one embodiment, a light emitting device includes a light emitting layer, a first electrode, a first and second layers, and a cladding layer. The first layer has a first impurity concentration of a first conductivity type, and allows a carrier to be diffused in the light emitting layer. The second layer has a second impurity concentration of the first conductivity type higher than the first impurity concentration, and includes a first and second surfaces. The first surface is with the first layer. The second surface has a formation region and a non-formation region of the first electrode. The non-formation region includes convex structures with an average pitch not more than a wavelength of the emission light. The cladding layer is provided between the first layer and the light emitting layer and has an impurity concentration of the first conductivity type.