Japan international Hidetoshi Nakata has announced his retirement from football in an open letter published on the website of Italian Serie A side Fiorentina.

The captain of the Japan team at this summer's World Cup has decided to hang up his boots at the age of 29, although "no specific reason" has been given.

Nakata spent last season on loan at Premiership side Bolton, during which time he made the decision to retire this summer.

"I decided six months ago to quit after the World Cup," he wrote.

"There has been no one specific event or reason as to why I have reached this decision, but I simply felt the time had come to take leave from this journey which is called professional football. I wanted to start a new journey which will allow me to discover a new world."

Nakata joined Bolton on a 12-month loan deal last season but was unable to secure a regular first-team place at the Reebok Stadium.

Wanderers boss Sam Allardyce admitted the player's decision had not come as a shock.

Allardyce told the club's official website, www.bwfc.co.uk: "The news isn't a surprise as far as I am concerned.

"'Hide' has had the time to think about his future and has decided that the best outcome is for him to hang up his boots.

"He's had a glittering career and has achieved plenty in the domestic game.

"He will be remembered as the catalyst of Asian and Japanese football, and also the first Japanese export to European football.

"It was a privilege to work with him last season, and I'd like to wish him well."

Nakata is now looking to a future away from the game, although he has not revealed exactly what he would like to do next.

"I have always walked with my head held high, and this will give me the foundations for the rest of my life and will give me faith in myself," he said.

"I owe this strength to you [the fans] who have always accompanied me everywhere.

"With this in mind, from now on I feel able to overcome any difficulty. The new journey now begins."

"I will not appear on the pitch again as a professional footballer but will never abandon football," Nakata added.

"But I am sure I will have a small kick-around with somebody on some small field or in a park with the very same passion I had as a child, (using football) as a form of communication."

Nakata was twice voted Asian Footballer of the Year in 1997 and 1998, and burst on to the international scene in the 1998 World Cup in France.

Fiorentina signed him for the 2004/05 campaign, but he went on loan to Bolton the following season.

He added: "To all the colleagues and players with whom I have shared a place on the football pitch, to all the people who have been close to me and to all of you who have followed me affectionately right until the very end - from the bottom of my heart, thank you."