In a friction material, columnar or scaly non-whisker-like alkali metal titanate or non-whisker-like alkali metal•alkaline-earth metal titanate having an average particle diameter in the range of 0.1 to 100 μm and an aspect ratio of 3 or less and an inorganic porous filler are compounded, and a friction material in which non-whisker-like lithium.potassium titanate having an average particle diameter in the range of 0.1 to 100 μm and an aspect ratio of 3 or less is compounded.