A foil bearing is provided, which is simple in structure, has a large load capacity and a large damping capability and can therefore allow a rotary shaft having a large unbalance as compared with the conventional bearing to be driven stably at a high speed. A spindle device utilizing such foil bearing is also provided, which is designed to increase the permissible amount of unbalance and also to have a light-weight feature. Each of the foil bearings 504 and 505 includes an elastic member 2 prepared from a wire net formed by braiding wires, and a thin bearing foil 3 supported by the elastic member 2 and defining an elastic bearing surface S. The respective foil bearing 504 and 505 is used at least as a radial bearing 504 in the spindle device including a rotary shaft 4 having a head mount 501a, on which an atomizer head is mounted, and the radial and thrust bearings 504 and 505 for rotatably supporting the rotary shaft 4.
