There is provided an acoustic wave image generating apparatus and method capable of obtaining an image with good visibility of a needle. In a case where ultrasound waves having an intensity distribution centered on a first direction are transmitted to a subject, ultrasound echoes return from the subject. Ultrasound echo data indicating the ultrasound echoes are phased and added along lines (53) to (55) in virtual reception directions. As the ultrasound transducers transmitting ultrasound waves (51) are updated, a plurality of first ultrasound images (71) to (73) are obtained. Since the ultrasound images (71) to (73) having various angles can be obtained, an image with good visibility of a needle can be obtained in a case where the needle is inserted into the subject.
