So what's the story on the JKA? The karate school here I am looking at joining is a member of the JKA. I understand they teach shotokan, please correct me there if I am wrong, and was just curious if anyone here has had any experience as a member with them? Please share any stories good or bad.

This thread is not meant to start any kind of wars of any kind. Please share your experience only for they are yours and not others.

There was just a discussion on this very topic. Look here:

http://www.fightingarts.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/15852357/an/0/page/1#15852357

Personally, I'm not a fan of the JKA, as you will see in these posts. I adhere to Funakoshi's methods, not the JKA's. Many many many things were changed for self aggrandizement and sport, and a very few decent evolutionary changes were made. For example, one should not exceed the rank achieved by the founder of the art out of due respect, giri even. Funakoshi was 5th dan, so we adhere to 5th dan being the top rank in shotokan. In their egotism, JKA men have proclaimed themselves 6th dan and up...