The present invention provides a nitride semiconductor substrate having an initial nitride and a nitride semiconductor sequentially stacked on one principal plane of a base substrate, wherein the nitride semiconductor substrate comprises recesses depressed from an interface between the base substrate and the initial nitride toward the base substrate along one arbitrary cross section; the recesses each have a diameter of 6 nm or more and 60 nm or less and are formed at a density of 3×108 pieces/cm2 or more and 1×1011 pieces/cm2 or less; and the recess preferably has a depth of 3 nm or more and 45 nm or less from the interface between the base substrate and the initial nitride toward the base substrate.