A joining method comprises a stacking step and a joining process step. In the stacking step, a first joining target and a second joining target are stacked in such a manner as to interpose a heat absorbing layer and a joining material layer between respective joint surfaces of the first joining target and the second joining target. In the joining process step, laser light is applied to the heat absorbing layer to heat the joining material layer with heat absorbed by the heat absorbing layer from the laser light, thereby joining the first joining target and the second joining target to each other using the joining material layer.