Provided are a phase difference microscope and an imaging method allowing effects from illumination light refracting due to a meniscus to be quickly and automatically adjusted. A culture vessel that stores a culture fluid and an object to be observed is irradiated with patterned light having a predetermined pattern. The patterned light irradiating the culture vessel is transmitted through the culture fluid therein and the transmitted light is then detected. The optical characteristics of an adjustment optical system, which adjusts for the refraction of light due to the surface shape of the culture fluid in the culture vessel, are adjusted on the basis of the detection signal from the detected transmitted light. After the adjustment, the culture vessel is irradiated with illumination light to measure a phase difference, and an image of the object to be observed irradiated with the illumination light is captured.
