An occupant protecting structure of a vehicle body upper portion, which absorbs initial energy of the load caused by an occupant colliding against the body upper portion without increase in weight of the structure. A pillar outer panel, pillar inner panel and pillar reinforce respectively have flange portions at both ends thereof. The respective flange portions of the pillar outer panel, the pillar inner panel and the pillar reinforce are joined in layers by spot welding at each of the both ends. The pillar outer panel, the pillar inner panel and the pillar reinforce form a closed cross-sectional configuration when cut along a virtual line perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the pillar outer panels, pillar inner panel and pillar reinforce. An energy absorbing panel is disposed further toward the interior of the vehicle than the pillar inner panel with a space therebetween. The energy absorbing panel has a pair of opposing side surface portions at both ends of a pressure-applied portion of the energy absorbing panel. The pair of side surface portions of the energy absorbing panel are respectively joined with side surface portions of the pillar inner panel by spot welding. The thickness T1 of the energy absorbing panel is made smaller than the thickness T2 of the pillar outer panel and the thickness T3 of the pillar inner panel.