An ink jet recording apparatus is provided which can detect ink in a print head highly precisely with a simple construction. The apparatus includes: a detection electrode to detect, through the ink on the ink jet print head board, a voltage change between print elements and drive elements which is produced as the print elements are driven; a periodical driver to drive the print elements at a predetermined drive frequency; a voltage detector to periodically detect an output voltage of the detection electrode at a timing corresponding to the drive frequency; and a state check device to check an ink ejection state of the ink jet print head according to a result of the detection by the voltage detector.