We have synthesized two types of azobenzene liquid-crystalline polymers with a tolane moiety exhibiting high birefringence: one is the copolymer having an azobenzene moiety and a 3-ring tolane group in the side chain (PA-3T) and the other is the polymer containing a long mesogen core, in which the azobenzene group is directly connected to the tolane moiety (P3AT). The values of 0.35 and 0.39 in birefringence were obtained in PA-3T and MAT, respectively. When the film was irradiated with a writing beam at 488 nm, the change in birefringence was efficiently induced with P3AT compared with PA-3T.