There is provided a video retrieval method, and apparatus, capable of fast matching a feature of a target video with a feature of an enquiry video without conducting work of providing keywords for video retrieval. As for the target video, both a video which is being broadcasted and a video included in a data base can be dealt with. A retrieval method includes the steps of providing a representative frame image specified by a user with a code or a code string as a name thereof, and registering beforehand code strings of a plurality of representative frame images as enquiry video names; inputting a target video; extracting a representative frame image from the video; calculating one feature or a plurality of features from a whole or a part of the frame image; assigning a corresponding code to the feature or each of the features; providing the frame image with the code or a code string arranged in a predetermined order as a name thereof, and producing a video name for the video in a form of a frame name string corresponding to a string of the frames; and matching the enquiry video names with the video name by using the frame name string and outputting a result.