Provided is an electrode for a high pressure discharge lamp, which prevents spring-back of an electrode coil, and which has high productivity and high accuracy in positioning the coil. The electrode for the high pressure discharge lamp includes: an electrode core bar (30); and a coil (35) mounted on the electrode core bar, and is configured as follows. The electrode core bar (30) includes: a small-diameter section (31) on a power supply side; and a large-diameter section (32) on a leading end side. The large-diameter section (32) has: a large-diameter portion (32a) on the small-diameter section side; a small-diameter portion (32b) having a smaller outer diameter than the large-diameter portion, the small-diameter portion forming a step (s) with the large-diameter portion therebetween; and a leading end portion (32c). The coil (35) covers a portion between the step (s) and the leading end portion.