To provide a novel method for feeding an ink ribbon capable of easily affording a size reduction, recording quality of high image quality and to provide a thermal transfer printer capable of easily realizing the method for feeding this ink ribbon.

The thermal transfer printer comprises a carriage 2 capable of mounting an ink ribbon feeding mechanism 10, a thermal head 6, tension detecting means 25a, 25b, and a control means 30. In this case, the mechanism 10 is formed directly drivable at least a winding bobbin 11 of the bobbin 11 and a sending bobbin 13 by a drive force of a ribbon feeding motor 20 having a supersonic motor. The means 30 has a tension controller 35 for controlling a rotating speed of an ink ribbon R detected by the means 25a, 25b in the case of executing a recording operation.