Takanabe was previously called Kushima; it was granted to Akizuki Tanezane by Toyotomi Hideyoshi after Tanezane's surrender during the subjugation of Kyushu in the late 1580s. Akizuki Tanezane retained control of the fief after the Battle of Sekigahara, as he had been on the side of Ishida Mitsunari but switched allegiances while in Ōgaki Castle, killing the Western Army's commanders there and opening the castle to the Eastern Army. In 1604 Tanezane moved his residence to Takanabe Castle; the domain became formally known as Takanabe 69 years later, in 1674. The domain's income rating was 30,000 "koku" until 1689, when the 4th generation lord, Akizuki Tanemasa, granted 3000 "koku" to his younger brother; Takanabe's income remained at 27,000 "koku" for the remainder of its history.