An embodiment of the invention provides a light emitting device in which a semiconductor laser diode is used as a light source to emit visible light in a wide range. The light emitting device includes a semiconductor laser diode that emits a laser beam; and a luminescent component that is provided while separated from the semiconductor laser diode and absorbs the laser beam to emit the visible light. In the light emitting device, the luminescent component includes an optical path through which the laser beam is incident to a center portion of the luminescent component.