The driving device has a piezoelectric element 32, a supporting member 16 fixed to one end of the piezoelectric element 32, a driving shaft 18 fixed to the other end of the piezoelectric element 32, a movable member 20 that is movably held on the driving member 18, and a driving circuit 33 that applies the drive voltage to the piezoelectric element 32. The driving circuit 33 includes a self-oscillating circuit 34, 38 that oscillates at a series resonance frequency of the piezoelectric element 32 and a non-linear circuit 36, 40, 42, 44, 46 for adding distortion to the drive voltage that is applied to the piezoelectric element 32.