A manufacturing method of a honeycomb structure includes a forming step of preparing a forming raw material containing a cordierite forming material and an inorganic binder, and kneading and forming the prepared forming raw material to have a honeycomb shape; and a firing step of firing the prepared formed body. In the forming step, as the inorganic binder, smectite is used in which at least parts of interlayer metal cations are ion-exchanged with non-metal cations. In the smectite, a total amount of sodium to be contained in the smectite is 1.6 mass % or less in terms of oxides to 100 mass % of the smectite. A content ratio of the smectite in the forming raw material is 0.5 parts by mass or more and 4.0 parts by mass or less to 100 parts by mass of the cordierite forming material.