A high pressure fuel pump includes: a pump body that forms a suction passage and a pressurizing chamber and slidably supports a plunger; and a control valve that opens a connection between the suction passage and the pressurizing chamber in a suction stroke, during which the plunger is driven toward a suction side for suctioning fuel into the pressurizing chamber, while the control valve controls closing timing, at which the connection between the suction passage and the pressurizing chamber is closed by the control valve in a delivery stroke, during which the plunger is driven toward a delivery side for delivering the fuel out of the pressurizing chamber. The pump body forms a release passage that is communicated with the suction passage. The release passage relieves the fuel, which is pressurized by the plunger, from the pressurizing chamber before the closing timing during the delivery stroke.