To not only permit ready processing of an eccentric lens array but also enhance the utilization efficiency of light made incident on the lens array.

An illuminating apparatus comprises: a light source that emits light; a first lens array that has in a second direction orthogonal to a first direction a plurality of mini-lens arrays each including a plurality of mini-lenses arrayed in the first direction and divides the light emitted from the light source into a plurality of partial luminous fluxes; a second lens array that has a plurality of mini-lenses each matching one or another of the mini-lenses of the first lens array and condenses the partial luminous fluxes into which division was made by the first lens array; and a polarized light converting element that converts the partial luminous fluxes condensed by the second lens array into prescribed linear polarized light. In each of the mini-lens arrays, every mini-lens is eccentric by an equal degree of eccentricity in the same direction as the second direction, and the directions of eccentricity of the lenses of adjoining mini-lens arrays are reverse to each other in the second direction.