In a hydraulic shock absorber 10, at least one of a first base piston 50 and a second base piston 60 is provided with a communication path 44 communicating an intermediate portion between a compression side damping valve 51 and a compression side check valve 52 which are provided in respective compression side flow paths 50A, 60B of the first and second base pistons 50, 60 with an oil reservoir chamber 32, and communicating an intermediate portion between an extension side damping valve 61 and an extension side check valve 62 which are provided in respective extension side flow paths 60A, 50B of the first and second base pistons 50, 60 with the oil reservoir chamber 32.