An endoscope including an insertion portion having a bendable bending portion, and an operation section connectively provided at a proximal end side of the insertion portion, and including, in the operation section, a bending operation apparatus which is operated when the bending portion is caused to perform a bending operation, wherein the bending operation apparatus includes a bending operation mechanism section and a bending portion braking mechanism section, the bending operation mechanism section includes: a bending lever which is rotatably disposed at an operation section main body of the operation section, and is rotated when the bending portion is caused to perform a bending operation a first bearing member that pivotally and rotatably supports a bending operation shaft body which has the bending lever integrally fixed to one end, and transmits a rotation force of the bending lever, and is fixed to a support panel integral with the operation section main body and a cylindrical member that is fixedly provided integrally at the other end of the bending operation shaft body, is rotated with a rotational operation of the bending lever, and pulls and loosens an operation wire which is disposed in an outer circumferential groove, and the bending portion braking mechanism section includes: a bending state keeping lever that is rotatably disposed at the operation section main body of the operation section a braking shaft body that has the bending state keeping lever integrally fixed to one end, and transmits a rotation force of the bending state keeping lever a second bearing member that pivotally and rotatably supports the braking shaft body, and is fixed to the support panel a rotation pressing member that is rotatably disposed in the first bearing member, rotates around an axis of the second bearing member with a rotational operation of the braking shaft body, and has a plurality of inclined projection portions at a peripheral portion of an outside side surface a
