Experimental study on combustion characteristics of a regenerative combustor has performed. High-temperature air combustion in the regenerative combustor is obtained through heat recovery from exhaust gas flow by porous ceramic materials and through alternation of air flow direction through the combustor. Temperature field, CO and NOx emission with respect to the frequency of alternation are measured. It is found that at initial stage of the alternation, temperature of inlet section of main combustion chamber is increased sharply since both high temperature air preheated by the ceramics and prompt fuel injection results in rapid combustion. Following this initial stage, combustion temperature is reduced as the preheated air temperature is reduced. However peak temperature in the chamber and exhaust gas temperature are decreased as the alternation period is reduced, increased temperature of ceramic is observed. CO and NOx emission with respect to the alternation period is also examined. It is found that there exists a range of optimum alternating period for CO and NOx emission characteristics.