A high pressure discharge lamp includes a light emission section in which a pair of electrodes is arranged, sealing portions formed from both ends of the light emission section, external leads, and a trigger wire provided near the light emission section. The trigger wire includes a first coil portion, which is wound from a vicinity of a boundary between the light emission section and one of the sealing portions towards an outer end of the one of sealing portions, and a linear stretch-across portion, which extends from the first coil portion near the light emission section towards the external lead extending from an outer end of the other sealing portion and is fixed to the external lead. A second coil portion is formed around the other sealing portion. The wire, which forms the stretch-across portion, is held between the second coil portion and the other sealing portion.