A negative electrode for a lithium ion secondary battery including a current collector and an active material layer carried on the current collector, wherein the active material layer includes a first layer and a second layer alternately laminated in a thickness direction of the active material layer, and wherein the first layer includes silicon or silicon and a small amount of oxygen and the second layer includes silicon and a larger amount of oxygen than the first layer. With the use of the negative electrode, it is possible to provide a high capacity lithium ion secondary battery having excellent high rate charge/discharge characteristics and superior cycle characteristics.