To enable blocking the influence of a damper oil and to enable constructing a frictional force generating means having simple structure.

The variable damping force damper for a vehicle includes a tubular cylinder 21, a piston 22 which is slidably installed in the cylinder 21 and partitions the cylinder 21 into two chambers, a rod 24 which is attached to the piston 22 and projects from one end surface of the cylinder 21 through a rod guide 23, a damper oil 27 which is sealed in the cylinder 21 and flows across two chambers through orifices 25, 26 of the piston 22, and the frictional force generating means 50 which generates a frictional force between the cylinder 21 and the piston 22. The frictional force generating means 50 is arranged on one end surface of the cylinder 21 and outside of the cylinder 21.