Provided is an anode active material for energy storage devices capable of electrochemically inserting and extracting lithium ions and production method thereof, an electrode structure including the active material and flake graphite, and an energy storage device using the electrode structure as an anode. The anode active material includes secondary particles that are aggregates of 10-300 nm primary particles containing silicon as a main component. The primary particles each include, as a surface layer, a composite metal oxide layer containing at least one or more metal elements selected from at least Al, Zr, Mg, Ca, and La and Li.