Abstract: In a printing apparatus wherein a reversible ribbon cassette is detachably installed, provided are means for indicating which side of the ribbon cassette is the side facing upward and means for detecting whether the side of the ribbon cassette attempted to be reloaded after once removed is the side facing upward or not based upon the indicating means. Thereby, misloading with the not-on-use side of ribbon cassette turned up is prevented and accordingly possibilities of blurred printing caused by use of already used area of the ribbon and/or of waste of the ribbon with remaining non-used portion thereon can be avoided. Further, even if the ribbon cassette installed in the apparatus is a multi-use-type one, the possibility of the printing quality being uneven due to the difference in number of times of use in places on the ribbon can also be prevented.