The present invention provides an ink jet recording apparatus comprising a conveying means for a recording medium in a substantially horizontal direction, a head holding means for holding a plurality of ink jet heads in such a manner that the ink jet heads discharge ink vertically downward toward the recording medium conveyed by the conveying means in the substantially horizontal direction, a vertical shifting means for shifting the head holding means in a substantially vertical direction, a head recovery means for recovering and preventing the non-discharge of ink from the plurality of ink jet heads, in a condition opposed to the plurality of ink jet heads, and a horizontal shifting means for shifting the head recovery means in the substantially horizontal direction into a spatial area provided above the recording medium by lifting the head holding means in the substantially vertical direction by means of the vertical shifting means, so that the head recovery means is opposed relation to the plurality of ink jet heads. The head recovery means is provided with a waste ink opening for exhausting waste ink discharged from the ink jet head to the head recovery means in a recovery operation. The apparatus also includes incline means for inclining the head recovery means. When the head recovery means is retracted from the ink jet head, the head recovery means is inclined so that the side thereof having the waste ink opening is lower than the opposite side.