The recording and reproducing apparatus has rotary drive unit (a motor) that rotationally drives a multilayer recordable recording medium 1; a reference-light-side recording and reproducing lens 6 and a recording-light-side recording and reproducing lens 7 that are disposed oppositely to the recording medium 1 which is rotationally driven by the rotary drive unit, an address detection lens 5 that is disposed opposite the recording medium 1 and that is provided separately from the recording and reproducing lenses 6 and 7; a light source 9 for recording and reproducing purpose that supplies recording reproduction light to the recording and reproducing lenses 6 and 7; and the address light source 9 that supplies address light to the address detection lens 5. The apparatus is configured in such a way that light whose center axis portion is optically hollow is supplied from the reference-light-side recording and reproducing lens 6 to the recording medium 1 during reproducing operation.