Provided is an optical fiber base material manufacturing method that includes, while rotating a starting member formed by fusing both ends of a core rod to dummy rods on an axis of the starting member, moving the starting member and burners back and forth relative to each other and depositing glass microparticles on a surface of the starting member. This method also includes setting two or more axes as back and forth movement axes allowing for back and forth movement relative to the starting member; providing a burner facing the starting member on each of the axes; causing each burner to traverse the starting member to an end of the starting member; and changing a position where at least two burners pass by each other during the traversing movement, in a longitudinal direction of the starting member.