According to this invention, there is provided an image pickup unit for an endoscope, including a lens barrel portion includes a movable lens holding barrel that holds the movable lens and is movable to advance and retract and a drive mechanism portion which is disposed at a side surface portion of the lens barrel portion and drives the movable lens holding barrel. The unit has a holding portion which is disposed at the side surface portion of the lens barrel portion and is configured to position and hold the drive mechanism portion, a gap between the lens barrel portion and the drive mechanism portion is filled with an adhesive which is made to have a difference in hardness such that hardness is lower on a proximal end side than on a distal end side.
