A method for manufacturing a porous ceramic structure which can produce a high porosity ceramic structure as well as a low porosity ceramic structure without causing cracks at the time of firing. A method for manufacturing a porous ceramic structure comprising molding a raw material which contains a ceramic material as a main component and a pore-forming agent and then drying and firing the obtained molded article. When the molded article is fired, the temperature of a firing environment is raised substantially in synchronization with the temperature of the central portion of the molded article within a temperature range in which at least a portion of the molded article is shrunk by firing.