Provided are a detection device and a detection method that are based on a novel principle and able to detect blood vessels and other various targets with high sensitivity and accuracy. A detection device includes: m electrodes that generate at least around one straight line m rotationally symmetric electric charges (m is an even number that is greater than or equal to 4) whose total amount of charge is substantially 0 and at least one electric field detection element that detects an electric field on the straight line. The m electric charges are a quadrupole, a planar hexapole, a planar octupole, a three-dimensional octupole and the like. In order to make the quadrupole, four electrodes (11 to 14) are disposed at the vertexes of a square. At the center of these electrodes (11 to 14), a detection electrode (20) is disposed. The detection device is used in making up a vein sensing device and the like.
