To suppress generation of a hotspot and heat accumulation in the reaction layer using a fixed bed multitubular reactor in manufacturing acrolein and acrylic acid by a vapor phase oxidation of propylene in the presence of a catalyst expressed by general formula (I) MoaWbBicFedAeBfCgDhEiOx (A is one or more kind of Co and Ni, B is one or more kind of P, Te, As, B, Sb, Sn, Ce, Nb, Pb, Cr, Mn and Zn, C is an alkali metal, D is an alkali earth metal, E is one or more kind of Si, Al, Ti and Zr, when a=12 then b=0-5, c=0.1-10, d=0.1-10, e=1-20, f=0-5, g=0.001-3, h=0-3, i=0-30, x is a numerical value set by the oxidation state of each element).

This method prepares plural kind of catalysts differing in exclusive area, burning temperature and/or kind of the alkali metal elements and/or its amount, and fills serially into the reaction zones of each reaction tube having two of more catalyst layers separately installed in axial direction of the tube, setting the activity to increase from a raw material gas inlet side to an exit side.