Dan Carter has been red hot for the Kobelco Steelers in the Japanese club championship.

Dan Carter keeps winning titles and accolades deep into his rugby career, being named the MVP of the Japanese championship after leading his team to the title at his first attempt.

Carter kicked five conversions and one penalty as his Kobe Kobelco Steelers scored eight tries to crush the Suntory Sungoliath 55-5 and win the Top League title.

Carter's debut season on the back of a successful stint in the French Top 14 with Paris club Racing 92 was a personal triumph of the 36-year-old All Blacks superstar.

The Kobe Kobelco Steelers playmaker was also named top kicker with an 86.2 per cent success rate across the season.

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Bizarrely, he missed out on selection in the All-Star XV with Wild Knights' Takuya Yamasawa named at No 10.

"It's a really proud moment for someone that has had such a long career and is getting to the end of that career," Carter, a former world player of the year, said of winning the MVP award.

"But that's not why I play the game. I play to try and benefit my team and help them win titles. It's not about individual awards like this. But at the same time it's nice to know the hard work and sacrifice that I have put in this year has been recognised."

Carter feels like he has wound back the clock with Kobe, helping them to their first league title since the 2003-04 season.

"I've really got my running game back to where it was probably 10 years ago," Carter told Kyodo News.

"It's been a real strength of mine throughout my career, to have a real attacking mindset and be a threat with ball in hand and looking to attack space, and I felt like I did that this season. I haven't played with that freedom for the last couple of years."

Carter's contract will see him back for the 2019-2020 season but right now he is welcoming a deserved break.

"I haven't had an off-season as long as this for a long time," he said.

"I sacrificed a lot by coming here to play in Japan while my family has been back in New Zealand, so I'm looking forward to taking some time off rugby and becoming a father and husband again, which I haven't been able to do for the last six months."

There was a strong Kiwi connection to Kobe's title success.

Former All Blacks mentor Wayne Smith is director of rugby and former Bay of Plenty assistant coach Dave Dillon is the head coach. They have 11 New Zealand players across their wider squad.