An optical amplifier includes: an amplification section includes a plurality of routes; a determination section that selects a passage route, through which the multi-wavelength optical signal passes, among the plurality of routes; an input-side detector that detects input power of the multi-wavelength optical signal input to the amplification section; a variable optical attenuator that attenuates the multi-wavelength optical signal that is amplified through passing through the passage route determined by the determination section; an output-side detector that detects output power of the multi-wavelength optical signal attenuated by the variable optical attenuator; a controller that controls the amplification section based on the input power detected by the input-side detector and the output power detected by the output-side detector such that a gain of the amplification section is steady; and an adjuster that adjusts an attenuation of the variable optical attenuator in accordance with the input power detected by the input-side detector.