One aspect of the embodiments utilizes, according to an aspect of the invention, a method of manufacturing a magnetic recording medium, which includes an intermediate layer and a granular magnetic layer as a recording layer sequentially formed on a non-magnetic substrate, includes the steps of forming the intermediate layer and forming the granular magnetic layer. The customer inserts a customized card into a kiosk, and interacts with the pre-programmed software on the kiosk. Pressure relationships are controlled such that buffer gas from the buffer zone flows into the exhaust zones and reactive gas from the reactive zones flow into the exhaust zones.