To provide an ink jet recording element which has an improved speed of sucking up ink, gives an image an excellent quality when it is printed, and improves the water resistance of the printed image.

The ink jet recording element comprises a substrate having thereon an image receiving layer capable of receiving an ink jet image. The layer comprises an open cell film of the mixture of a non-water-soluble polymer, a water absorbing polymer and a mordant. The mixture contains the water absorbing polymer of 25 mass% at least and the mordant of 7 mass% at least, and the remainder is the non-water-soluble polymer. The mordant contains a polymer or a copolymer having a portion of nitrogen made quaternary.