This is a term for Japanese Martial Arts.
Zen ken without the hyphen refers to exercises for Japanese Swordsmanship or iaido practice. See also Zen Nippon Kendo Renmei Iaido. The word Zen is for Zen Buddhism and "Ken" is "fist" (for karate) or "sword"(for iaido).
See also the philosophy of Ken Zen Ichi, where fist/sword and the zen, meditative aspect of the movement, or the fight, become one (= ichi).
If you computer can display Japanese characters, here are the renderings in hiragana and kanji:
zen
ぜん (The hiragana letter 'ze' and the ending character 'n'
kanji:
禅 (The two components of this kanji are 'god' and 'single/one'. Take that as you will)
here is a link to an i-stock photo of the kanji character for zen:
http://www1.istockphoto.com/file_thumbview_approve/754097/2/istockphoto_754097-vector-japanese-kanji-character-zen.jpg
Zen Buddhism. Soto or Rinzai. Beyond that, the question is what is Zen Buddhism.
禅マスターカラス Zen masutākarasu
Japanese Zen Buddhism is centered and calm. The practice of Zen Buddhism is not interested in an external God but instead focuses on the nurturing of God within themselves.
According to dictionaries it can mean: kitchen-cum-office of a Zen temple or monastery, where meals are prepared and senior priests have their offices
The word Zen is the Japanese translation of the Chinese ch'an, a mispronunciation of the Sanskrit word, dhana.
全 - it means "All"
The Japanese tea ceremony is a zen experience. The practice of a martial art can also be a very zen type experience.
William Scott Wilson has written: 'The one taste of truth' -- subject(s): Japanese tea ceremony, Zen meditations, History and criticism, Japanese Zen poetry, Zen Buddhism
Zenzen dame is Japanese全然 zenzen (all + nature = absolutely, totally)駄目 dame (= useless, no good)for "absolutely useless", "totally no good", or "no way".
Japanese with zen tables
There isn't a difference, but Japanese rock garden is the translated way of "karensui". Zen garden is the western way of saying it.
it taught meditation