An endoscope holding apparatus comprising: a stand that supports a base portion; a distal arm with a proximal end side thereof supported by the base portion, the distal arm including a multi-joint arm including first to fourth distal arm portions sequentially connected from the base portion side, the distal arm being configured to move an endoscope held on a distal end side thereof on a vertical plane; an interlocking section that links behaviors of the respective distal arm portions so that the first distal arm portion and the third distal arm portion behave in parallel to each other, and the second distal arm portion and the fourth distal arm portion behave in parallel to each other, wherein a proximal end side of the first distal arm portion is rotatably and pivotally supported at the base station via a first horizontal rotational shaft; a proximal end side of the second distal arm portion is rotatably and pivotally supported on a distal end side of the first distal arm portion via a second horizontal rotational shaft; a proximal end side of the third distal arm portion is rotatably and pivotally supported on a distal end side of the second distal arm portion via a third horizontal rotational shaft; and a proximal end side of the fourth distal arm portion is rotatably and pivotally supported on a distal end side of the third distal arm portion via a fourth horizontal rotational shaft, the endoscope holding apparatus further comprising: an endoscope holding portion configured to hold the endoscope, wherein the endoscope holding portion is rotatably and pivotally supported at a distal end portion of the fourth distal arm portion via a fifth horizontal rotational shaft, characterised in that the endoscope holding portion is adapted to be supported by a single rotational shaft only. a stand that supports a base portion; a distal arm with a proximal end side thereof supported by the base portion, the distal arm including a multi-joint arm including first to fourth distal arm portions sequentially connected from the base portion side, the distal arm being configured to move an endoscope held on a distal end side thereof on a vertical plane; an interlocking section that links behaviors of the respective distal arm portions so that the first distal arm portion and the third distal arm portion behave in parallel to each other, and the second distal arm portion and the fourth distal arm portion behave in parallel to each other, wherein a proximal end side of the first distal arm portion is rotatably and pivotally supported at the base station via a first horizontal rotational shaft; a proximal end side of the second distal arm portion is rotatably and pivotally supported on a distal end side of the first distal arm portion via a second horizontal rotational shaft; a proximal end side of the third distal arm portion is rotatably and pivotally supported on a distal end side of the second distal arm portion via a third horizontal rotational shaft; and a proximal end side of the fourth distal arm portion is rotatably and pivotally supported on a distal end side of the third distal arm portion via a fourth horizontal rotational shaft, the endoscope holding apparatus further comprising: an endoscope holding portion configured to hold the endoscope, wherein the endoscope holding portion is rotatably and pivotally supported at a distal end portion of the fourth distal arm portion via a fifth horizontal rotational shaft, an endoscope holding portion configured to hold the endoscope, wherein the endoscope holding portion is rotatably and pivotally supported at a distal end portion of the fourth distal arm portion via a fifth horizontal rotational shaft,