PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a bending operation mechanism for changing a maximum inclination angle of an operation lever, and to provide an endoscope equipped with the bending operation mechanism.SOLUTION: A bending operation mechanism of an endoscope comprises: a pulling part that bends a bending portion of an insertion part by wire pulling an operation lever that holds the pulling part and uses one end as a supporting point to incline the other end in all directions an inclination restricting member having a hole part that allows the operation lever to penetrate and restricts an inclination range of the operation lever and a frame part that includes a movement mechanism for moving the inclination restricting member away from and closer to the supporting point. The movement mechanism increases an inclination angle range of the inclination restricting member by moving the inclination restriction member closer to the supporting point, and decreases the inclination angle range of the inclination restricting member by moving the inclination restricting member away from the supporting point.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2
