A method for manufacturing an electroluminescent element including: a first manufacturing step of layering on a substrate, in the following order, a first electroconductive layer, a dielectric layer in which plural contact holes are formed which pass therethrough in a direction orthogonal to the substrate, a second electroconductive layer which is electrically connected to the first electroconductive layer inside the contact holes and which fills the contact holes, a light-emitting layer, and a third electroconductive layer; a temperature distribution measurement step of applying a voltage to the first electroconductive layer and the third electroconductive layer, causing the light-emitting layer to emit light, and measuring the temperature distribution of the electroluminescent element to obtain temperature unevenness information for the electroluminescent element; and a second manufacturing step of adjusting, on the basis of the temperature unevenness information, the density of the plural contact holes that pass through the dielectric layer.