OSAKA - In a small basement theater in Osaka's bustling Minami district, comedians from Japan and overseas are giving foreign visitors an irreverent glimpse of a side of the country rarely found in travel guides.

Located beneath L&L Bar&Restaurant in Shinsaibashi, the independently operated Osaka Comedy Club stages stand-up shows in English almost every day. Most audience members are overseas tourists, with weekend performances regularly selling out the roughly 20-seat venue.

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