The oldest existing Kawara tiles in Japan were made in the Asuka period, and they are the ones on Gokuraku-bo Hondo (main hall) and Zenshitsu (room for Zen sitting meditation) of Gango-ji Temple.
現存日本最古の瓦は飛鳥時代のもので、元興寺の極楽坊本堂と禅室に葺かれている瓦とされる。