An error correction encoding method including generating error correction code data, which is a predetermined number of bytes long, by error-correction-encoding user data in a predetermined manner; generating burst indicator subcode data, which is a predetermined number of bytes long and is used to detect errors that have occurred in the user data; dividing the error correction code data into a plurality of sub-error correction code data each having a length that is less than the error correction code data; dividing the burst indicator subcode data into a plurality of sub-burst indicator subcode data having a length that is less than a minimal data unit that is error-correction-encodable; and alternately arranging the plurality of sub-error correction code data and the plurality of sub-burst indicator subcode data.