According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a recoil starter including: a case having a reel supporting shaft; a rope reel having: a tubular shaft portion; an engaging portion; a rope housing groove to house a recoil rope; and a spring housing portion to house a spiral spring; a ratchet axially-slidably arranged outside the tubular shaft portion; a ratchet guide attached to an end of the reel supporting shaft; and a return spring provided between the ratchet guide and the ratchet, wherein an inclined surface and a locking surface are formed on the engaging portion to be engageable with the ratchet, and wherein the inclined surface guides the ratchet toward to be engaged with the driving pulley, thereby rotating the driving pulley and starting the engine, when the rope reel is rotated.