PURPOSE: To contrive a higher recording speed and enable a reduction in device size, by holding by a gripper piece the leading end of a recording paper discharging from a thermal recording head after being recorded, then moving the leading end of the paper to the side of an inlet to the head by rotating a base member, and releasing the leading end of the paper.

CONSTITUTION: A recording paper circulating means 20 provided with a gripper mechanism 23 so functions that the leading end of a recording paper discharged from a thermal recording head 12 is received by a neck part of a gripper piece 24a and a block 24b, and is contained into a gap 29 between the gripper piece 24a and the peripheral surface of a gripping roller 22. Then, with the roller 22 rotated, the gripper piece 24a is moved toward the peripheral surface of the gripping roller 22, and the leading end of the recording paper is clamped between the gripper piece 24a and the peripheral surface of the gripping roller 22. Under this condition, the roller 22 is rotated about half a rotation, and then the leading end of the recording paper is released.