An endoscope 2 of the present invention includes an insertion portion 6 including a bending portion 9, an operation portion 7 separate from the insertion portion, a bending operation wire 44 that is inserted through the insertion portion and used for bending the bending portion in a predetermined direction with tugging in a forward/backward tugging direction, and connecting mechanisms 108, 118a, 150a, and 140 that makes it possible to couple the insertion portion and the operation portion in a manner in which the bending wire is freely tugged in the operation portion.
