A surface emitting quantum cascade laser comprising: an active layer including a plurality of quantum well layers stacked therein and being capable of emitting laser light by intersubband transition; a first semiconductor layer provided on the active layer and having a first surface, the first surface including an internal region in which first pits (61, 63) constitute a first two-dimensional grating and an outer peripheral region in which second pits constitute a second two-dimensional grating, grating pitch of the first pits (61, 63) being m times, m being an integer of 1 or more, grating pitch of the second pits, and the outer peripheral region surrounding the internal region; an insulator layer which covers side surfaces and bottom surfaces of the first pits (61,63) and side surfaces and bottom surfaces of the second pits; an upper electrode which covers a portion of the internal region not provided with the first pits (61, 63) and a portion of the outer peripheral region not provided with the second pits and fills the first pits (61,63) and the second pits via the insulator layer; a second semiconductor layer provided on a surface of the active layer on opposite side from a surface provided with the first semiconductor; and a lower electrode which is provided on a surface of the second semiconductor layer on opposite side from a surface the active layer side, and is provided with an opening including a portion of the internal region in plan view, a first planar shape of an opening end of each first pit (61, 63) being asymmetric with respect to a line passing through barycenter of the first planar shape and being parallel to at least one side (50, 51) of the first two-dimensional grating, the first two-dimensional grating being a square grating or a rectangular grating, a second planar shape of an opening end of each second pit being symmetric with respect to each of lines passing through barycenter of the second planar shape and being parallel to either side (52, 53) of the second two-dimensional grating, and the laser light (80, 82) having an emission wavelength corresponding to the grating pitch of the second pits and being emitted in a direction generally perpendicular to the active layer from the internal region through the opening. an active layer including a plurality of quantum well layers stacked therein and being capable of emitting laser light by intersubband transition; a first semiconductor layer provided on the active layer and having a first surface, the first surface including an internal region in which first pits (61, 63) constitute a first two-dimensional grating and an outer peripheral region in which second pits constitute a second two-dimensional grating, grating pitch of the first pits (61, 63) being m times, m being an integer of 1 or more, grating pitch of the second pits, and the outer peripheral region surrounding the internal region; an insulator layer which covers side surfaces and bottom surfaces of the first pits (61,63) and side surfaces and bottom surfaces of the second pits; an upper electrode which covers a portion of the internal region not provided with the first pits (61, 63) and a portion of the outer peripheral region not provided with the second pits and fills the first pits (61,63) and the second pits via the insulator layer; a second semiconductor layer provided on a surface of the active layer on opposite side from a surface provided with the first semiconductor; and a lower electrode which is provided on a surface of the second semiconductor layer on opposite side from a surface the active layer side, and is provided with an opening including a portion of the internal region in plan view, a first planar shape of an opening end of each first pit (61, 63) being asymmetric with respect to a line passing through barycenter of the first planar shape and being parallel to at least one side (50, 51) of the first two-dimensional grating, the first two-dimensional grating being a square grating or a rectangular grating, a second planar shape of an opening end of each second pit being symmetric with respect to each of lines passing through barycenter of the second planar shape and being parallel to either side (52, 53) of the second two-dimensional grating, and the laser light (80, 82) having an emission wavelength corresponding to the grating pitch of the second pits and being emitted in a direction generally perpendicular to the active layer from the internal region through the opening.