Recording medium

A recording medium comprising:

• a substrate;
• and
• an ink receiving layer on the substrate, the ink receiving layer containing inorganic particles and a water-soluble resin,
• wherein the recording medium has an HM1 of 40 N/m2 or less and has a rate of change of HM2 to HM1 (HM2/HM1×100) of 400% or less,
• where the HM1 is a Martens hardness when an indenter is pushed at a load of 500 mN over 180 seconds from a surface of the recording medium into a depth of 1 μm in a thickness direction thereof, and the HM2 is a Martens hardness when the indenter is pushed up to a position where the indenter is not in contact with the surface of the recording medium, and then the indenter is pushed at a load of 500 mN over 180 seconds from a pressing starting position into a depth of 1 μm in the thickness direction at the same point as the point at which the indenter is first pushed.