Patent ID: 8416656

Claim:
A reproducing method comprising: irradiating a laser spot for servo to which astigmatism making up an angle of generally 45 degrees as to the tangential direction of an information recording track has been applied, and one or more laser spots for reproduction, onto a recording medium where a track group is formed with a plurality of information recording tracks being adjacent with a narrower track pitch than a track pitch equivalent to optical cut-off stipulated by the wavelength of a laser beam to be irradiated, and by the NA (numerical aperture) of an irradiation optical system, and also where a track group pitch from a perspective of the track group unit is arranged to be wider than said track pitch equivalent to optical cut-off; and subjecting at least one or more laser spots for reproduction to on-track control as to one of said information recording tracks by taking a tangential push pull signal obtained from reflected light information of said laser spot for servo as a tracking error signal, and performing tracking servo control using this tracking error signal, and reproducing data from the reflected light information thereof.