Abstract: An advantage of the present invention is the provision of a friction material having a porous structure and a large static coefficient of friction, that is made to have a porous structure so as to improve heat resistance but which does not exhibit time-varying characteristics in friction at the beginning of engagement.A friction material 120 is provided on the surface thereof with small holes 160 each of which is 0.02 mm.sup.2 to 0.2 mm.sup.2 in size and whose area ratio to the whole surface area of the friction material 120 is not less than 5% and whose ratio of depth to the thickness of the friction material 120 is not less than 20% and holds oil in the small holes 160.