To provide a thawing device and a thawing method which, when thawing a frozen matter of biological-origin contained in a container, is capable of preventing the content from being heated excessively.SOLUTION: A thawing device 10 which thaws a frozen matter of biological origin 14 contained in a container 12 comprises: a warming mechanism 22 which warms the frozen matter of biological origin 14 contained in the container 12； a hardness measuring mechanism 28 which measures the hardness of a freezing bag 15 being the container 12 containing the frozen matter of biological origin 14； and an estimation unit 50 which estimates the thawing state of the frozen matter of biological origin 14 on the basis of a result of the measurement by the hardness measuring mechanism 28.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2【課題】容器内の生体由来凍結物を融解する際に、内容物に対する過加熱を防止することが可能な融解装置及び融解方法を提供する。【解決手段】容器１２内に収容された生体由来凍結物１４を融解する融解装置１０は、容器１２内の生体由来凍結物１４を加温する加温機構２２と、生体由来凍結物１４が収容された容器１２である凍結バッグ１５の硬度を測定する硬度測定機構２８と、硬度測定機構２８の測定結果に基づき生体由来凍結物１４の融解状態を推定する推定部５０と、を備える。【選択図】図２
