A light receiving element (1) according to an embodiment of the disclosure includes a semiconductor layer (20) in which a photodiode having a PIN structure is provided in a mesa portion having a pillar shape. The photodiode includes a first conductive layer (21), an optical absorption layer (23), and a second conductive layer (24) having a light incident surface. In the light receiving element (1), the semiconductor layer (20) includes, in the vicinity of an interface between the first conductive layer (21) and the optical absorption layer (23), a constricted portion (26) that is the most constricted of the first conductive layer (21). The interface has an end exposed on an internal surface of the constricted portion (26).