An inkjet recording apparatus includes an ink particle generation unit that makes a pressurized ink injected from a nozzle into particles, a charging unit that electrically charges the ink particle of those subjected to particulation, which corresponds to a dot to be printed, a polarizing unit that polarizes the electrically charged ink particle in a polarizing electric field, a collection unit that allows a gutter to collect the ink particle corresponding to the dot that is not printed, and a character forming unit that forms a character as a dot matrix on a printing object. A phase detection charging signal is applied to the ink particle that is not used for printing when forming the dot matrix character so as to detect an optimum charging timing in a process of forming the dot matrix character.