An ink jet recording apparatus performs recording by discharging an ink composition onto a recording medium. The apparatus includes an ink jet head including a pressure-generating chamber containing an ink composition and applying a discharge pressure to the ink composition, a discharge port from which the ink composition is discharged, and a communicating path for communicating between the pressure-generating chamber and the discharge port. The ink composition is discharged from the discharge port at a discharge rate of 5 m/sec or more and 15 m/sec or less. The communicating path has a length of 40 μm or more and 600 or less. The ink composition contains a self-dispersible pigment and an organic solvent having a Hansen solubility parameter of 14 (cal/cm3)1/2 or more and 16 (cal/cm3)1/2 or less.