A projector includes a light source, an illumination optical system, and a color separating optical system. The color separating optical includes a dichroic mirror which reflects a first color light component of an illumination light through a first optical path by a reflection angle and transmits a second light component through a second optical path; a first mirror which bends the first optical path by a first bent angle; and a second mirror which bends the second optical path by a second bent angle. The reflection angle, the first bent angle, and the second bent angle are arranged to provide a predetermined difference between the length of the first optical path and the length of the second optical path, and the predetermined difference corresponding to a difference between focal distances of a superimposing optical element corresponding to the first and second light components.