A phosphor element includes: a phosphor part having an incident face for excitation light, an opposing face opposing the incident face, and a side face, the phosphor part converting at least a part of the excitation light incident onto the incident face into a fluorescence and emitting the fluorescence from the incident face; an integral low refractive index layer on the side face and opposing face of the phosphor part and having a refractive index lower than that of the phosphor part; and an integral reflection film covering a surface of the low refractive index layer. The area of the incident face of the phosphor part is larger than the area of the opposing face.