Provided are a photoreceptor, an image forming method, an image forming apparatus and a processing cartridge exhibiting an excellent effect on high quality toner images with no image defect caused by occurrence of fog, lowered image density and sharpness, or generation of black spots. Disclosed also is an electrophotographic photoreceptor including an electrically conductive support containing aluminum, an uppermost layer, and at least an intermediate layer containing inorganic particles and binder, the intermediate layer being provided between the support and the uppermost layer, wherein the support has on a surface of the support crystallizing material particles having a diameter of 0.3-10 .mu.m in an amount of being 0.5-20 per (20 .mu.m).sup.2, the inorganic particles have a number average primary particle diameter of 5-300 nm, the intermediate layer is an insulating layer and covered by the uppermost layer.