The time has come for yokozuna Hakuho to look in the mirror, recognize the person looking back at him as head and shoulders above all others the greatest sumo wrestler that has ever lived, but to then accept that it is now time to retire, to call it a day.

Or as fans of sumo like to phrase it "to hang up his mawashi."

Back in late July last year, just after Hakuho had won his 35th Emperor's Cup, having seen the signs of what was to come back then, I wrote this: "(Hakuho) should already be thinking of the perfect time to go.