A tubular insertion part to be inserted into a subject, a rigidity variable part for changing the bending rigidity of the insertion part in segments for a plurality of segments taken in the longitudinal axis direction of the insertion part, and an insertion part by the rigidity variable part It is a flexible tube insertion apparatus provided with the rigidity variable control part which controls the change of bending rigidity of. The variable stiffness control unit defines a region in which the direction along the longitudinal axis direction of the insertion portion changes when the insertion portion is inserted as a first variable region that changes the bending rigidity, and a plurality of different variations are included in the first variable region. The bending stiffness is controlled so as to generate a rigid region.被検体に挿入される管状の挿入部と、挿入部の長手軸方向にとった複数のセグメントを対象とし、挿入部の曲げ剛性をセグメント単位で変更する剛性可変部と、剛性可変部による挿入部の曲げ剛性の変更を制御する剛性可変制御部とを具備する可撓管挿入装置である。剛性可変制御部は、挿入部の挿入時において、挿入部の長手軸方向に沿った方向が変化している領域を曲げ剛性を変更する第一可変領域とし、第一可変領域内に複数の異なる剛性領域を発生させるように曲げ剛性を制御する。
