An illuminating unit comprising: a light-guiding section including a plurality of light-guiding plates, the light-guiding plates being stacked in a thickness direction and each having a light entrance section and a light output surface; a plurality of light sources that output light toward the light entrance sections of the respective light-guiding plates of the light-guiding section; and a light source substrate that supports the plurality of light sources and on which both the light sources and a circuit section are disposed, the circuit section driving each of the light sources, a first portion, on which the circuit section is disposed, of the light source substrate being disposed in opposition to a back surface of the light-guiding section, wherein the light sources include a top-emitting type light-emitting diode configured to output light in the thickness direction toward the light entrance section, and the light entrance section of each light-guiding plate includes a tilted surface or a curved surface to reflect and guide the light emitted from the top-emitting type light-emitting diode toward a planar direction of the light-guiding plates, wherein the plurality of light-guiding plates includes a first light-guiding plate (11A1) and a second light-guiding plate (11A2), the first light-guiding plate (11A1) being disposed on top of the second light-guiding plate (11A2), wherein the plurality of light sources includes a first light source (13A1) and a second light source (13B1), wherein the first light source (13A1) outputs light toward a light entrance section of the first light-guiding plate (11A1) and the second light source (13B1) outputs light toward a light entrance section of the second light-guiding plate (11A2), wherein the light entrance section of the first light-guiding plate (11A1) has a tilted surface or a curved surface that extends over a tilted surface or a curved surface of the light entrance section of the second light-guiding plate (11A2). a light-guiding section including a plurality of light-guiding plates, the light-guiding plates being stacked in a thickness direction and each having a light entrance section and a light output surface; a plurality of light sources that output light toward the light entrance sections of the respective light-guiding plates of the light-guiding section; and a light source substrate that supports the plurality of light sources and on which both the light sources and a circuit section are disposed, the circuit section driving each of the light sources, a first portion, on which the circuit section is disposed, of the light source substrate being disposed in opposition to a back surface of the light-guiding section, wherein the light sources include a top-emitting type light-emitting diode configured to output light in the thickness direction toward the light entrance section, and the light entrance section of each light-guiding plate includes a tilted surface or a curved surface to reflect and guide the light emitted from the top-emitting type light-emitting diode toward a planar direction of the light-guiding plates, wherein the plurality of light-guiding plates includes a first light-guiding plate (11A1) and a second light-guiding plate (11A2), the first light-guiding plate (11A1) being disposed on top of the second light-guiding plate (11A2), wherein the plurality of light sources includes a first light source (13A1) and a second light source (13B1), wherein the first light source (13A1) outputs light toward a light entrance section of the first light-guiding plate (11A1) and the second light source (13B1) outputs light toward a light entrance section of the second light-guiding plate (11A2), wherein the light entrance section of the first light-guiding plate (11A1) has a tilted surface or a curved surface that extends over a tilted surface or a curved surface of the light entrance section of the second light-guiding plate (11A2).