To provide a thermal transfer printer which can prevent an ink ribbon from obliquely moving by using an inexpensive ribbon separation means and prevent creases from occurring in the ink ribbon.

The formation of a butting portion of a separation shaft 8 which butts against the ink ribbon to ensure that it becomes a symmetrical inclined shape so that it becomes most concave in the width direction center portion of the ink ribbon, as the width direction ends of the ink ribbon is made to be more strongly pulled than the center portion and the width direction both ends of the ink ribbon taken up by the ribbon take-up shaft to be pulled outwardly in taking up the ink ribbon by a ribbon take-up shaft, the oblique movement of the ink ribbon is prevented by using the separation shaft 8, and the occurrence of creases in the ink ribbon can be prevented.