An image pickup unit 30 includes a fixed frame 34, 36, 40, 41 configured to hold an objective lens 33, 35, a moving frame 38 movable in a first direction F along a photographing optical axis O and a second direction B, and provided with a moving lens, an urging member 52 configured to urge the moving frame 38 in the second direction B, an actuator 60 including a contact member 63 provided to be separable from the moving frame 38 and advanced and retracted by pushing and pulling of a driving wire 64, the actuator 60 moving the moving frame 38 in the first direction when the contact member 63 moves in the first direction F； and a guide member 61 through which the contact member 63 is inserted to be linearly guided. The contact member 63 has an outer diameter d2 smaller than a bore diameter d 1 of the guide member 61 over an entire length in an advancing and retracting direction.
