The present invention provides an image pickup unit including an objective lens including a plurality of optical system members via which an object image is formed, the image pickup unit including: a fixed barrel that holds a fixed lens in the objective lens; a moving lens holding barrel that holds a moving lens and is disposed so as to be slidable along an optical axis inside the fixed barrel; and a voice coil motor section that generates a drive force for moving the moving lens holding barrel relative to the fixed barrel along the optical axis, and the voice coil motor section is disposed so that a center axis of action of a generated thrust force passes through a gravity center of a driven member to be driven by the voice coil motor section.