There is provided a method for drying a ceramic formed body by hot air, the formed body having a peripheral face and end faces constituting a columnar shape, and at least one through-hole extending in an axial direction and open at the end face, the formed body containing ceramics and a heat-gelling binder. The hot air is blown to the formed body in a direction at an angle of 45 to 90 degrees with respect to the axial direction. The method can inhibit deformation such as a bending deformation or a torsional deformation generated in the ceramic formed body in the drying process and crack generation in the firing process after drying.