High purity 1,3-butylene glycol obtained from acetaldol by a liquid phase hydrogen reduction method, by adding a base to crude 1,3-butylene glycol free of high-boiling material, heat-treating the mixture and then distilling off 1,3-butylene glycol; and distilling off low-boiling materials from 1,3-butylene glycol. In high performance liquid chromatography analysis under specified conditions, each peak eluted in a relative retention time range of 4.0 to 5.5, taking a relative retention time of 1,3-butylene as 1.0, has an absorbance of 0.02 or less at a measuring wavelength of 210 nm. This has no odor and shows less change with time.