To enable more optimum operation control by providing an image pickup unit photographing even external washing information, etc., such as a vibration at the time of dehydrating and treatment figure display, etc., and fetching it as data and executing the judgement of a water amount, the detection of a water level and the detection of rincing based on the data.

Before washing, treatment figure display attached to clothes is directed towards an image sensor 20 in an image recognizing device 300, a figure display reading key is operated so as to photograph figure display, it is collated with stored figure display and the instruction of a washing program corresponding to it is executed. In this case, when a favorite course is selected in an input part 101, washing is executed by the washing program of the favorite course. Unless the favorite course is selected, washing is executed in accordance with the optimum washing program based on recognized figure display. Then, during washing, the image sensor 20 observes the movement of washings, the rotary number of a motor 5 is controlled and the water level is adjusted, etc.