To provide methods for easily and exhaustively isolating and detecting cell surface sugar chains without using a special device.

The method for isolating the cell surface sugar chains includes a step for bringing cells into contact with a solution containing an enzyme having ability for cleaving the sugar chains bonded to a protein and/or a lipid. Preferably, the cell is a cultured cell or a cell collected from a tissue, and the enzyme is an endo-type glycosidase. The method for detecting the cell surface sugar chain includes a step for capturing the isolated sugar chain by a carrier or a compound for specifically capturing the sugar chain.