To inexpensively effect a visual examination with high resolving power within a short time.

A lighting apparatus 3 is arranged so that the optical axis thereof crosses the cylindrical surface of an article 1 to be inspected at a right angle and a plurality of line sensor cameras 4a, 4b are arranged zigzag so as to hold the lighting apparatus 3 therebetween corresponding to the length in the axial direction of the article 1 to be inspected. The cylindrical surface of a part irradiated with the emitted light having a predetermined emitting angle θ within the emitting light from the lighting apparatus 3 is photographed by the line sensor cameras 4a, 4b and the photographing results are supplied to an image processor 5 to judge whether there is a flaw in the appearance of the article 1 to be inspected.