To provide a recorder and a method for communicating ink ribbon information between the recorder and a ribbon cassette mounted thereon.

A first data communication unit 14 comprises a first transmitting means 4 provided in the body 2 of a recorder 1 and a first receiving means 11 provided in a ribbon cassette 3 while a second data communication unit 15 comprises a second transmitting means 12 provided in the ribbon cassette 3 and a second receiving means 5 provided in the body 2 of the recorder 1. The first data communication unit 14 communicates ink ribbon information generated from the body 2 of the recorder 1 to the ribbon cassette 3, and the second data communication unit 15 communicates ink ribbon information of an ink ribbon R stored in the ribbon cassette 3 to the body 2 of the recorder 1.