Provided are a tabular alumina particle and a method for manufacturing it, wherein the particle has a major axis of 30 μm or more, a thickness of 3 μm or more, and an aspect ratio of 2 to 50 and contains molybdenum; and the method includes the steps of mixing an aluminum compound of 10% by mass or more in a form of Al2O3, a molybdenum compound of 20% by mass or more in a form of MoO3, a potassium compound of 1% by mass or more in a form of K2O, and silicon or a silicon compound of less than 1% by mass in a form of SiO2, where total amount of raw materials is assumed to be 100% by mass in forms of oxides, so as to produce a mixture and firing the resulting mixture.