Abstract: Provided with a wire bonding apparatus capable of preventing oxidation of a surface of a free air ball. The apparatus is provided with: a capillary for bonding a wire to each electrode; a horizontal plate provided with a through hole allowing a tip of the capillary to be inserted and removed; and a first and a second antioxidant gas flow channel for allowing an antioxidant gas to be blown to a center of the through hole along an upper surface of the horizontal plate, the gas from the second channel being blown in a direction substantially intersecting with a direction in which the first channel extends. The horizontal plate is configured such that the antioxidant gas on the upper surface of the horizontal plate is allowed to flow outside the horizontal plate from its edges, where no antioxidant gas flow channel is disposed.