A first bending drive mechanism for bending the first bending portion and the input amount detecting section for detecting a bending operation input amount of bending operation, the amount of curvature corresponding to the bending operation input quantity, endoscope, the first curved portion a driving unit for generating a curved amount calculation unit for calculating the amount of curvature, a second bending drive mechanism for bending the second curved portion, a driving force for driving the second bending drive mechanism, the first curved portion is stored in advance it is determined that a determination unit, greater than the first threshold value setting unit for the first threshold value to be compared with the amount of curvature is set, bending amount of the first curved portion or not greater than the first threshold value and a control unit continues to output to said drive section a curved drive signal to the second curved portion is bent in the same direction as the bending direction of first bending portion by driving the second bending drive mechanism when the.内視鏡は、湾曲操作を湾曲操作入力量として検出する入力量検出部と、湾曲操作入力量に応じた湾曲量に第1湾曲部を湾曲させる第1湾曲駆動機構と、第1湾曲部の湾曲量を算出する湾曲量算出部と、第2湾曲部を湾曲させる第2湾曲駆動機構と、第2湾曲駆動機構を駆動させる駆動力を発生する駆動部と、予め記憶され第1湾曲部の湾曲量と比較される第1閾値が設定される設定部と、第1湾曲部の湾曲量が第1閾値よりも大きいか否かを判定する判定部と、第1閾値よりも大きいと判定された場合に第2湾曲駆動機構を駆動させて第2湾曲部が第1湾曲部の湾曲方向と同じ方向へ湾曲させる湾曲駆動信号を前記駆動部に対して出力し続ける制御部とを有する。
