The present invention involves a carbon-based hydrogen storage material which includes a carbon material, exhibiting a specific surface area, being 1,000 m.sup.2/g or more, and a bulk density, being from 0.4 g/cm.sup.3 or more to 1 g/cm.sup.3 or less. The carbon-based hydrogen storage material is such that the hydrogen storage capacity per unit volume is large. The invention also provides for a hydrogen storage apparatus whose hydrogen storage capacity per unit volume is large. The hydrogen storage apparatus is constituted so as to include a container and a hydrogen absorbing material accommodated in the container, and the hydrogen absorbing material is arranged to include a porous carbon material whose specific surface area is 1,000 m.sup.2/g or more, and a hydrogen absorbing alloy.