The heat (mass) transfer characteristics in the tip-leakage flow region of a high-turning first-stage turbine rotor blade has been investigated by employing the naphthalene sublimation technique. The heat transfer data in the tip-leakage flow area for the tip clearance-to-span ratio, h/s, of 2.0% are compared with those in endwall three-dimensional flow region without tip clearance (h/s : 0.0 %). The result shows that the thermal load in the tip-leakage flow region for h/s = 2.0% is more severe than that in the endwall flow region for h/s : 0.0%. The thermal loads even at the leading and trailing edges for h/s = 2.0% are found larger than those for h/s = 0.0%. The tip-leakage flow results in heat transfer augmentations near the tip on both pressure and suction sides in comparison with the mid-span results.