we dont do any jumping kicks in shotokan since balance is already reduced balancing on one foot

To be the devil's advocate, I have seen a very old article in Black Belt where Teruo Chinen (Goju Master) was practicing jumping back kicks and spinning kicks.

the real shotokan only have 3 belts, white, brown and black. to be honest i only spent over 6 months of doing it. it was brutal 8,000 punches, 8000 kicks, 100 times of kata, under 1 freak hour. yes there are kick in shotokan. each moves each hand techniques, leg techniques are very dangerous. it comprises of power and speed. there are so much power in each movements that it is scary.. as for those people who u see doing ariel or jump side kick, Round house. those people are just bullshit. there are no such things in shotokan. there are step side kick (low kick) and side kick (it is the type of front kick that u turn to the side). i do respect those who trained or training in shotokan. it is one brutal art.

when i went for my sho-dan i did not need to do any "flashy kicks"! but now i do like to learn the more advance kicks!

we do, but they're pretty useful, I use spin kicks and junps alot in practice sparring, they're extremely effective and we are required to learn them

Gichin Funakoshi (Shotokan's founder) told: Train kihon correctly, but in fight it is little different.
Hey, at least in Brasil, the black belt does not require exceptional things, they focus on kihon, it means, firm stance, chudan geri, if u think that high kicks are beatyfull the masters do not!!!

Zombie,

It really boils down to your dojo. Some schools require useless kicks, some don't. I was taught a few pointless kicks, and had to perform them during my test but I wasn't graded poorly if I didn't perform them well. Personnally any kick requiring you to leave the ground or move your focus from your opponent are too risky for my blood. I rather kick no higher than the stomach.

In the TKD class I attended they required all those flashy kicks & board breaking. Even had them toss a board in the air & attempt to puch break it. Again to me....totally pointless. I'd rather have students break concrete...but oh well....to each his own.

Sensei