Although its ninth family head Yoshitada had his territory taken by the Sasshu-Shimazu family which was established in 1451, the Akune clan changed the name of its area from "莫祢" to"阿久根," written in three characters, and accommodated themselves as karo (chief retainers) of the Sasshu family, and the Akune clan succeeded their position as karo for generations until its fourteenth family head Yoshiteru AKUNE, but in concert with the breakup of the Sasshu-Shimazu family, they also ended up leaving the long-ruled territory of Akune.
9代良忠の時(1451年)に創設された薩州島津家に莫祢領は領地を取られてしまうが、地名も阿久根の三文字に改め、薩州家の家老として順応して、14代の阿久根良照まで代々家老職を世襲したが、薩州島津家の断絶に殉じて阿久根氏も永年治めていた阿久根の地を去ることになる。