A pole layer has an end face located in a medium facing surface, allows a magnetic flux corresponding to a magnetic field generated by a coil to pass therethrough, and generates a write magnetic field for writing data on a recording medium by using a perpendicular magnetic recording system. A shield incorporates: a first layer having an end face located in a region of the medium facing surface forward of the end face of the pole layer along the direction of travel of the recording medium; a second layer disposed in a region sandwiching the pole layer with the first layer; a first coupling portion coupling the first layer to the second layer without touching the pole layer; and a second coupling portion coupling the pole layer to the second layer and located farther from the medium facing surface than the first coupling portion.