An ignition apparatus includes a plasma device, a first circuit, a second circuit, and a control unit. The plasma device produces a plasma discharge in an air-fuel mixture before an arc discharge is produced. The first circuit causes an ignition plug to start the arc discharge. The second circuit energizes a primary coil in a direction opposite to the direction of the energization by the first circuit during the arc discharge, to maintain energization of the secondary coil in the same direction as the direction of the energization started by an operation of the first circuit, to cause continuation of the arc discharge. The control unit controls operations of the first circuit, the second circuit, and the plasma device.

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