A light emitting device that can provide enhanced heat radiation as well as allowing light from a light emitting diode (LED) chip to be efficiently extracted out of the device. This light emitting device includes a metal plate (11) that is made of aluminum. The metal plate (11) has a projection (11a) projecting forward. The projection (11a) has a front side provided with a housing recess (11b). An LED chip (1) is mounted on the bottom of the housing recess (11b) so that it is thermally coupled to the metal plate (11), thus allowing heat to be radiated efficiently. A printed circuit board (12), having a grass epoxy substrate to be joined to the front surface of the metal plate (11), is provided with an insertion hole (13) into which the projection (11a) is inserted. The LED chip (1) and a bonding wire (W) are encapsulated in a transparent resin seal portion (50). The side wall of the housing recess (11b) that is part of the metal plate (11) functions as a reflector for reflecting forward light emitted from the LED chip (1). Thus, light from the LED chip (1) can be extracted efficiently.