A gas-driven cryocooler is capable of executing an initial cooling for cooling from an initial temperature to a cryogenic temperature and a steady-state operation for maintaining the cryogenic temperature following the initial cooling. The gas-driven cryocooler includes a compressor, a cold head, and a flow restrictor that is connected between the compressor and the cold head and that operates to restrict a flow rate of a working gas to the cold head during the initial cooling, as compared with a flow rate during the steady-state operation.