It turns up in quite a number of places, from other anime and manga to a bunch of video games. In short, in Japanese culture, the "kawarimi log" is simply the standard thing for a Ninja to swap places with, without regard for where it came from.

How do ninjas just disappear in Naruto?

The Body Flicker Technique is a high-speed movement technique, allowing a ninja to move short to long distances at an almost untraceable speed. To an observer, it appears as if the user has teleported.

What is disappearing jutsu called?

Intonjutsu (隠遁術 lit. Kanji for "disappearing technique") is the ninja art of "disappearing" and has many walking and stealth techniques. It also comprises wilderness survival, fieldcraft, and Shinobi-aruki (silent movement steps and leaps).