A light emitting device having little variation in the intensity of light emitted from the light emitting surface is provided. The light emitting device of exemplary embodiments of the present invention includes a laminated body with a first conductivity type layer and a second conductivity type layer, with a light emitting portion therebetween. The light emitting device also includes a metal thin film layer on the second conductivity type layer of the laminated body, and a transparent conductor on the metal thin film layer. The transparent conductor includes a single layer of transparent conductive film. The grain size in the light emitting surface of the transparent conductive film is not less than 30 nm and not greater than 300 nm.