CrO(OH) powders with thin hexagonal plate particles have been prepared by the hydrothermal treatment (380°C/2 h/15.2 MPa) of sol-gel-derived amorphous Cr 2 O 3 powders. Densification has been performed by hot-pressing (1350°C/2 h/30 MPa), followed by pressureless sintering (1600°C/2 h) in carbon powders. Grain-oriented Cr 2 O 3 ceramics (>98% of theoretical) are fabricated, in which the 0 0 1 axis is parallel to the hot pressing direction. They exhibit an anisotropy in electrical conductivity; the values measured at 700°C in the perpendicular and parallel directions for the 0 0 1 axis are 9.36 and 1.09 S m - 1 , respectively.