To provide a step counting device and counting method employing a geomagnetic sensor.

The step counting device comprises: a geomagnetic sensor for outputting digital values of respective axes according to movements of a body; a reference digital value generator for generating a reference digital value based on Nth digital values of the respective axes, (N-1)th digital values of the respective axes, and (N-2)th digital values of the respective axes; a reference axis selector for searching the Nth digital value of an/one axis having a maximum amplitude and selecting the axis as a reference axis; a digital value determiner for determining whether the Nth digital value of the reference axis is larger than the reference digital value of the reference axis by more than a predetermined value; and a controller for determining the movement of a body as an upward movement by one step when the Nth digital value is larger than the reference digital value by more than the predetermined value.