An exhaust gas cleaning apparatus for cleaning exhaust gas that is discharged from an internal combustion engine, comprising: an upstream side exhaust pipe and a downstream side exhaust pipe that are located on an upstream side and a downstream side, respectively, with respect to a flow direction, of the exhaust gas that is discharged from the internal combustion engine; a filter unit that is disposed between the upstream side exhaust pipe and the downstream side exhaust pipe and that is removably connected to the upstream side exhaust pipe and the downstream side exhaust pipe, wherein the filter unit comprises: a filter configured to capture particulate matter contained in the exhaust gas; a casing in which the filter is accommodated; the exhaust gas cleaning apparatus being characterized in that the filter unit further comprises: a thermal insulator that covers an entire outer peripheral surface of the casing, and a handle provided on the thermal insulator so that the filter unit is easily removable from the upstream side exhaust pipe and the downstream side exhaust pipe by holding the handle and lifting or pulling the thermal insulator away from the upstream side exhaust pipe and the downstream side exhaust pipe. an upstream side exhaust pipe and a downstream side exhaust pipe that are located on an upstream side and a downstream side, respectively, with respect to a flow direction, of the exhaust gas that is discharged from the internal combustion engine; a filter unit that is disposed between the upstream side exhaust pipe and the downstream side exhaust pipe and that is removably connected to the upstream side exhaust pipe and the downstream side exhaust pipe, wherein the filter unit comprises: a filter configured to capture particulate matter contained in the exhaust gas; a casing in which the filter is accommodated; the exhaust gas cleaning apparatus being characterized in that the filter unit further comprises: a thermal insulator that covers an entire outer peripheral surface of the casing, and a handle provided on the thermal insulator so that the filter unit is easily removable from the upstream side exhaust pipe and the downstream side exhaust pipe by holding the handle and lifting or pulling the thermal insulator away from the upstream side exhaust pipe and the downstream side exhaust pipe. a filter configured to capture particulate matter contained in the exhaust gas; a casing in which the filter is accommodated; the exhaust gas cleaning apparatus being characterized in that the filter unit further comprises: a thermal insulator that covers an entire outer peripheral surface of the casing, and a handle provided on the thermal insulator so that the filter unit is easily removable from the upstream side exhaust pipe and the downstream side exhaust pipe by holding the handle and lifting or pulling the thermal insulator away from the upstream side exhaust pipe and the downstream side exhaust pipe. a thermal insulator that covers an entire outer peripheral surface of the casing, and a handle provided on the thermal insulator so that the filter unit is easily removable from the upstream side exhaust pipe and the downstream side exhaust pipe by holding the handle and lifting or pulling the thermal insulator away from the upstream side exhaust pipe and the downstream side exhaust pipe.