PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a hopper which can reduce a loss such as breakage and chipping of edible bodies due to impact of dropping and accumulated pressure of edible bodies, and provide a tablet printing apparatus having the hopper.SOLUTION: A hopper comprises: a cylindrical second hopper part 12 (upper hopper part) which is provided in a manner of extending downward in a prescribed inclination direction； a cylindrical third hopper part 13 (lower hopper part) which is provided in a manner of extending downward in the inclination direction opposite to the second hopper part 12； a conveyance part 14 which is provided between the second hopper part 12 and the third hopper part 13 and conveys a tablet T discharged from the second hopper part 12 to the third hopper part 13； and a control part 15 which controls conveyance of the tablet T by the conveyance part 14.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2【課題】本発明は、落下による衝撃や可食体の積圧によって可食体に割れや欠け等の欠損が生じることを軽減することができるホッパー、並びに該ホッパーが用いられる錠剤印刷装置を提供することを目的とする。【解決手段】所定の傾斜方向で下方に延びる態様で設けられた筒状の第２のホッパー部１２（上側ホッパー部）と、第２のホッパー部１２と逆の傾斜方向で下方に延びる態様で設けられた筒状の第３のホッパー部１３（下側ホッパー部）と、第２のホッパー部１２と第３のホッパー部１３との間に設けられ、第３のホッパー部１３から排出された錠剤Ｔを第３のホッパー部１３に搬送する搬送部１４と、搬送部１４による錠剤Ｔの搬送を制御する制御部１５とを備える。【選択図】図２
