A method for producing an optically active ester comprising: reacting a racemic carboxylic acid shown by the formula (g) below and an alcohol shown by the formula (a) below or a phenol derivative shown by the formula (b) below, in the presence of a benzoic anhydride or a derivative of benzoic anhydride obtained from benzoic acid where an alkyl group, alkoxy group, amino group or hydroxyl group is bonded to the phenyl group, and a catalyst shown by any of the formulae (c) to (f) below, and selectively esterifying one enantiomer of the racemic carboxylic acid wherein, in the formula (a), R a represents a phenyl group, naphthyl group, anthryl group, or phenanthryl group, which may have a substituent group, in the formula (b), R b represents a phenyl group, naphthyl group, anthryl group, or phenanthryl group, which may have a substituent group; n represents an integer of 1 to 5; and in the case that a plurality of R b is present, they may be the same or different, in the formulae (c) to (f), X represents any of the following substituent groups, -(CH 2) 2 -S-CH 3 -CH 2 -SR -(CH 2) 4 -NHR -CH 2 CONHR -(CH 2) 2 CONHR and R represents a protecting group, in the formula (g), R g1 and R g2 represent organic groups which differ from each other, and the organic groups are selected from the group consisting of alkyl group, alkenyl group, alkynyl group, aryl group, heteroaryl group, alkoxyalkyl group, alkoxyalkenyl group, alkoxyalkynyl group, arylalkyl group, arylalkenyl group, arylalkynyl group, heteroarylalkyl group, heteroarylalkenyl group, heteroarylalkynyl group, alkylaryl group, akylheteroaryl group, alkoxyaryl group, and alkoxyheteroaryl group, and may be optionally substituted by an alkyl group, alkoxy group, aryl group, heteroaryl group, acyl group or halogen atom. reacting a racemic carboxylic acid shown by the formula (g) below and an alcohol shown by the formula (a) below or a phenol derivative shown by the formula (b) below, in the presence of a benzoic anhydride or a derivative of benzoic anhydride obtained from benzoic acid where an alkyl group, alkoxy group, amino group or hydroxyl group is bonded to the phenyl group, and a catalyst shown by any of the formulae (c) to (f) below, and selectively esterifying one enantiomer of the racemic carboxylic acid wherein, in the formula (a), R a represents a phenyl group, naphthyl group, anthryl group, or phenanthryl group, which may have a substituent group, in the formula (b), R b represents a phenyl group, naphthyl group, anthryl group, or phenanthryl group, which may have a substituent group; n represents an integer of 1 to 5; and in the case that a plurality of R b is present, they may be the same or different, in the formulae (c) to (f), X represents any of the following substituent groups, -(CH 2) 2 -S-CH 3 -CH 2 -SR -(CH 2) 4 -NHR -CH 2 CONHR -(CH 2) 2 CONHR and R represents a protecting group, in the formula (g), R g1 and R g2 represent organic groups which differ from each other, and the organic groups are selected from the group consisting of alkyl group, alkenyl group, alkynyl group, aryl group, heteroaryl group, alkoxyalkyl group, alkoxyalkenyl group, alkoxyalkynyl group, arylalkyl group, arylalkenyl group, arylalkynyl group, heteroarylalkyl group, heteroarylalkenyl group, heteroarylalkynyl group, alkylaryl group, akylheteroaryl group, alkoxyaryl group, and alkoxyheteroaryl group, and may be optionally substituted by an alkyl group, alkoxy group, aryl group, heteroaryl group, acyl group or halogen atom.