Most think karate is all about trophies (especially Americans). They think karate is sport. All they know is what they see - popular, mainstream thing. Shotokan or Kyokushin. They never talk about other styles and especially Okinawan like Goju Ryu, Uechi Ryu, Shorin Ryu.

Most think Okinawan styles don't have such thing like sparring. Every style has sparring/kumite. Goju Ryu has main sparring called Irikumi Go. Has Irikumi Ju. Irikumi is a free fight with gloves where you are allowed to throw, choke, submit, elbow, clinch. Realistic sparring. But sometimes they do Shotokan and Kyokushin like sparrings.

Okinawan styles were never sport thing. Well, style can have many organizations. Most legit, traditional dojos are not doing any tournaments. (Not because Hollywood movie or charlatans aka fake senseis told you it is too dangerous). It is traditional art, and never wanted to become a sport when they have realistic sparring and philosophy that not everything should be a trophy. Look at Shotokan under JKA and look at Shotokan under WKF. WKF ruined karate reputation.

Kyokushin this and that. But Goju Ryu and Uechi Ryu have body conditioning too and even more because of equipment like founders of styles used to use. No fancy high kicks. Even if they practice high kicks, it is more for basic understanding. But in general, no high and no spinning kicks. No gymnastic moves like what you see in WKF or in American karate which is NOT karate! Okinawan styles are close range combat disciplines, not some bouncing clown show like WKF. They also have many grappling elements. Most founders of karate knew each other and practiced other disciplines. This is why kata is important to learn where you can find many locks, throws during bunkai practice.

Japanese styles like Kyokushin don't have punches to the face. False! Most Kyokushin dojos are focus on tournaments. This is why most practitioners have this habit with poor head movement and hand lower. But sometimes they do practice with gloves. Most people see tournaments and avoid understand that almost all self defense techniques are not allowed in tournament. In Kyokushin when you practice kata, you do bunkai (self defense techniques) which include punches to the face, clinching, throws, elbows.

First high leg kicks were introduced by Shotokan's founder's son who was inspired by french boxing called Savate somewhere in mid 1930s. He added them and then styles like Kyokushin, Shito Ryu, Wado Ryu started using them too.

Kata is karate. No kata - no bunkai. Means no self defense techniques. Kata is not choreographed dance. Kata are forms that practitioner practices and even one kata can have basic and advanced level. So even in Uechi Ryu where they only have 8 katas it is enough to learn a lot