The retirement of Futabayama, long the glamor boy of the sumo world, highlighted Japan's most honoured sport. However, sumo this year is facing a sad decline, largely due to the decreasing public interest and hardships maintaining a sumo stable.
    Managers of the sumo behemoths say that with the prices of food being what they are it is most difficult to keep the Japanese wrestlers fed during the season and the off season.
    Furthermore, the general public are more concerned with making a living than with watching the gargantuans of the ring cavort about the sanded ring.
    So, Futabayama's retirement from the sumo ring meant also curtains on the "golden day" of Japanese sumo.