An assistance apparatus includes wires, each of which couples an upper-body belt and one of left and right knee belts to each other, and a motor. When the assistance apparatus assists a user in walking backward while carrying an object, the motor generates, in a gait phase of a left leg, a tension greater than or equal to a second threshold value in a second wire during a fifth period other than a first period during which a tension greater than or equal to a first threshold value is generated, and a tension less than the second threshold value in a first wire during a sixth period other than a second period during which a tension greater than or equal to the first threshold value is generated, and generates, in a gait phase of a right leg, a tension greater than or equal to the second threshold value in a fourth wire during a seventh period other than a third period during which a tension greater than or equal to the first threshold value is generated, and a tension less than the second threshold value in a third wire during an eighth period other than a fourth period during which a tension greater than or equal to the first threshold value is generated.