Andersen Park gets its name from the world-famous Danish fairy tale writer, Hans Christian Andersen. The park is situated in Funabashi city (in Chiba) which is twinned with H.C. Anderson's birth city of Odense located in southern Denmark.
I first visited this park several years ago and it made an impression on me, so over the past Golden Week break it seemed the right time (and weather) to go back.
The park is very spacious and is made up of mulitple areas. There are places where children can explore massive playgrounds, attempt to cross obstacle courses, and there's even a petting zoo. For Adults there's plenty of open space for tents and picnics, flower gardens, and plenty of water features including a lake where you can enjoy the view by boarding a rowboat. There's even a windmill!
I highly recommend the park for an afternoon out (just don't go during the school holidays if you want to avoid the kids!).
AH