also: じんこ
noun
Only with reading ほくら
Specifically refers to a small Shinto shrine, often a miniature structure housing a sacred object. The reading ほくら is used; compare with 祠 (ほこら), a more common word for a small shrine.
See also: 祠 (ほこら)
村の外れに古い神庫がひっそりと立っている。
An old small shrine stands quietly at the edge of the village.
noun
repository for sacred objects
A storage place or container for sacred items in a Shinto context. Can be read as ほくら or じんこ, though じんこ is rare.
神社の神庫には、古い鏡や剣が納められている。
Old mirrors and swords are stored in the shrine's sacred repository.
祠 (ほこら) is the common word for a small shrine, while 神庫 (ほくら) is a rarer, more specific term often referring to a miniature shrine or repository for sacred objects.
The exact derivation is uncertain. The kanji 神 (god) and 庫 (warehouse) suggest a 'god storehouse,' fitting the meaning of a sacred repository. The reading ほくら may be related to 祠 (ほこら), with a sound shift.