PURPOSE: To make high-speed printing with high reliability at low cost by providing a rotary platen having plural flat printing surfaces.

CONSTITUTION: A platen 7' has four flat printing surfaces (a), (b), (c), (d) and is rotary. Further, the distance of a rotary center to each printing surface (a), (b), (c), (d) varies respectively and the clearance between the printing surface and a printing head 4 is decided. The difference of the clearance is equal to the difference in distance between the rotary center of the platen 7' and the printing surface. It is possible to fine-adjust the clearance between the printing surface and the printing head 4 by increasing the number. When various papers of varying thickness are used, the printing surface is to be selected by rotating the platen 7' in accordance with paper thickness to insure excellent printing quality.