A silicon nitride sintered material includes a silicon nitride crystal and a grain boundary layer that contains at least two of a first metal silicide (a metal silicide having, as a first metal element, at least one selected from the group consisting of Fe, Cr, Mn and Cu), a second metal silicide (a metal silicide having, as a second metal element, at least one of W or Mo) and a third metal silicide (a metal silicide having a plurality of metal elements including the first metal element and the second metal element), wherein the grain boundary layer has neighboring phase where at least two of the first through third metal silicides exist in contact with each other.