The present invention relates to improved promoters and utilization thereof, in particular to promoters which are improved so as not to undergo methylation in the course of constructing transformants, and utilization thereof. The improved promoters of the present invention are represented by the following (1) and (2): (1) a DNA comprising the nucleotide sequences shown in SEQ ID NOS: 1 to 4; (2) a DNA comprising a nucleotide sequence consisting of the nucleotide sequences shown in SEQ ID NOS 1 to 4, wherein one to several nucleotides are deleted, added or inserted and the deleted, added or inserted sequence is free from any consecutive sequences represented by CG, CAG, CTG, CCG or CGG; the DNA having promoter activity. According to the present invention, the expression efficiency of a structural gene can be enhanced even in a plant, e.g. chrysanthemum, which has weak expression of the structural gene by a cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter which has been considered a high expression promoter for plants.