The catalytic steam reforming of woody biomass tar and soot to convert a synthetic gas containing hydrogen was investigated by using a bench-scale biomass gasification system. One commercial nickel-based catalyst, Katalco 46-6Q, and two different kinds of natural minerals, dolomite and olivine, were tested as a reforming catalyst at various reforming temperatures. The reaction characteristics of woody biomass tar were also investigated by TGA at a variety of heating rates. With all three catalysts conversion efficiency of tar and soot increased at increasing temperature. The reforming of tar and soot in the synthetic gas induce the increase of combustible gases such as $H_2$, CO and $CH_4$ in the product gas. The nickel-based catalyst showed a higher tar and soot conversion efficiency than mineral catalysts under the same temperature conditions.