Provided is a method for producing a diol represented by Formula (1), the method including using water as a solvent to carry out a cyclodehydration reaction of a 1,4-cyclohexanedione derivative represented by Formula (2) with a triol represented by Formula (3) to produce a diol represented by Formula (1). In Formula (1), R1 and R2 each independently denote a hydrocarbon group, and R3 each independently denotes a hydrogen atom, a heteroatom-containing group, a halogen atom-containing group, a linear alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a branched alkyl group having from 3 to 6 carbon atoms, or a group including an aryl group and having from 6 to 12 carbon atoms.