Electrical discharge machining method and electrode-guide position setting device

In the present invention, when performing electrical discharge machining on a workpiece via an electrical discharge machine that has an electrode holder and an electrode guide, a workpiece model and an electrode-guide model are generated in advance, an interference-start position at which the electrode-guide model starts interfering with the workpiece model when the electrode-guide model is moved towards the workpiece model along an axis line (CLa) is calculated, and a position obtained by moving the electrode-guide model a prescribed distance away from the workpiece model, starting at the interference-start position, is set as an electrode-guide position. With the electrode guide positioned at the electrode-guide position, the electrode holder is moved downwards in order to move an electrode downwards toward the workpiece surface, and electrical discharge machining is performed on the workpiece.