Anisotropic shrinkage during sintering was examined in c-axis oriented strontium barium niobate ceramics (Sr_0.6Ba_0.4Nb₂O₆, SBN60), which were prepared by colloidal processing in a high magnetic field. C-axis oriented SBN60 powder compact showed a large degree of shrinkage along the c-axis, which was the long axis of the primary particles. This anisotropic shrinkage of SBN60 is governed more by neck growth and grain growth during the middle or final stage of sintering than by the much number of the necking among particles during the initial stage as exhibited in c-axis oriented alumina. In tests, SBN60 grains grew anisotropically to the c-axis and showed large degree of sintering shrinkage.