An operational direction detecting device includes a device body that includes an operational area operable in two or more directions, two or more detection electrode/drive electrode pairs that are formed at direction detecting positions of the operational area and form capacitance between a detection electrode and a drive electrode, and a control unit that decides an entrance direction of an object to be detected from capacitance acquired by each of the two or more detection electrode/drive electrode pairs when an object to be detected performing an operation enters the operational area. The control unit decides the direction of the area corresponding to larger capacitance as the entrance direction of the object to be detected when the composite capacitance of capacitances acquired at the two or more detection electrode/drive electrode pairs exceeds a first predetermined value.